Google is the undisputed leader among the world’s search engines and it has also been a front runner in the evolution of office design, but experts in office design are beginning to question how its brand of office design can actually be detrimental to some businesses.
It’s inevitable that office design trends will change over time and Google’s playful approach to making its employees feel at home in the work place is beginning to look a little bit dated.
A recent article in architectural magazine, Dezeen suggests that even some Google employees are getting fed up with hearing people play on slides. Many among those who have tried out office play equipment themselves, often do so only once when they realise that their clothes have been messed up in the process.
Turning offices into playgrounds was seen as a way to stimulate creativity and put staff back in touch with their childhoods to keep them more relaxed. While this may have worked and helped Google staff solve problems creatively, for some businesses having staff stand around next to play equipment can lead to people not working as hard as they should or messing around in the workplace.
The article concludes that If you do intend to kit your office out like Google, it is worth assessing if the playful approach is right for your business before doing so to avoid problems later on.