There’s nothing like home-cooked meals during the holiday season, but for the family chefs who travel, there’s no more common headache than feeling lost in someone else’s kitchen.
Luckily, potential meltdowns while searching for the correct pie tin or serving spoon are typically alleviated by whichever family member has been roped in as this season’s holiday sous chef. With a supportive teammate, it’s possible to work hard to whip up a great meal while learning where to put the dishes away after — all while maintaining your cool in a hot kitchen.
Similar to a chef entering a new kitchen, a professional entering a new role, team or workspace can be intimidated trying to do their job while familiarizing themselves with a new working environment. To help ease these transitions, businesses lean on the benefits of a well-stocked office — and, of course, supportive teammates. Onboarding in person as opposed to in a remote environment can be especially helpful, with common issues like early questions and IT problems being resolved more quickly, complemented by more frequent social interactions to build bonds with teammates earlier.
Beyond the wealth of perks that in-person office work provides, strong introductory experiences help connect employees with their work in a more meaningful way. Survey data from Gallup notes that 70 percent of employees who rated their onboarding experience as exceptional also stated that they have “the best possible job.” When an employee receives a strong positive first impression of their new workplace, they are that much more likely to invest the best of themselves in their work and team.
Built In spoke with several team representatives about the in-office culture and amenities that have made a positive impact on their connections with their work and the teams that work alongside them.
Unlike a busy kitchen over the holidays, there’s no such thing as “too many cooks” in these offices. These tech professionals with unique office spaces all enjoy a shared gratitude for the social aspects that make their workplaces special.
Celonis is an end-to-end insights company that uses process mining and AI to help companies reveal and fix inefficiencies and perform at higher levels.
Tell us about Celonis’ office space and how frequently the team uses it.
As part of Celonis’ real estate and workplace services team, I work in the office at least four days a week. We design our offices to offer several different types of workspaces, ranging from traditional desks and meeting rooms, soft seating areas and phone booths to so-called “incubator spaces.” These are 100 percent flexibly furnished, and everything can be rearranged to fit any requirement — from casual seating to 100-person meetings. I love trying out these different space types and learning their pros and cons for different working requirements.
Our offices have a strong connection to our Celonis brand and culture, and my team and I enjoy offering various regular and one-off events to our Celonauts and visitors.
“Our offices have a strong connection to our Celonis brand and culture, and my team and I enjoy offering various regular and one-off events to our Celonauts and visitors.”
What types of amenities does Celonis offer for in-office work? Do you have a personal favorite?
Next to our flexible working areas, our offices offer a wide snack and drinks program. There’s always fresh fruit and vegetables, fridges with yogurts and other dairy products, cereals and nuts. We also have comfort food like chocolate, gummy bears and chips to get you through the day.
We have gastronomy-grade coffee machines and barista machines with high-quality coffee beans. Our coffee supplier stops by the office monthly to treat us to professionally made coffee specialties and barista training.
On top of that, there’s a lot of fun to be had in our offices: pool tables, arcade games and PlayStations offer plenty of opportunities for unwinding. I love engaging my fellow Celonauts in a game or two of foosball or — being an 80’s kid — taking our retro Pac-Man game for a spin.
Compared to working remotely, how would you say working in the office has benefitted the way you work?
Coming to the office helps me focus on my work. This environment minimizes the distractions I have at home like family, household and deliveries, and it lets me immerse myself in my work. My team is always here to brainstorm or ideate together — and sometimes provide some mental therapy.
At the same time, I know I can always get in touch with collaborators and stakeholders, and personal interaction is something no virtual meeting can replace. We are social beings, and nowhere does it become more apparent than at work.
ezCater is a food and work technology company that connects workplaces with restaurants for catered meals.
Tell us about ezCater’s office space and how frequently the team uses it.
ezCater is a fully remote/hybrid company with employees across over 40 states. The company gives us complete flexibility to choose where we work from. Most of my team members, including my manager, come in about once a week. It’s great to have in-person time with them. I’ve also built strong connections with some office regulars from different teams who come in throughout the week. This is particularly valuable for my role since I work cross-functionally across various teams.
Since I live close to our Boston headquarters, I typically go into the office two days a week, and three to four days during our monthly (non-mandatory) ezTogether weeks. I love that I have the flexibility to move around to different conference rooms or work from the kitchen or our comfy wellness room when I need focus time. It helps break up my day and helps me feel more energized and creative. And I often run into different people, sparking conversations that wouldn’t happen while working remotely.
“I love that I have the flexibility to move around [the office]. … It helps break up my day and helps me feel more energized and creative.”
What types of amenities does ezCater offer for in-office work? Do you have a personal favorite?
ezCater offers a range of fantastic amenities. We have a fully stocked kitchen with snacks, fridge items and a variety of coffee options. Additionally, we enjoy free lunch twice a week through ezCater’s own recurring employee meal solution, Relish — my favorite perk! It gets me away from my laptop to catch up with coworkers I normally wouldn’t see, and it also gives me the opportunity to try new local restaurants.
The office also features a rooftop patio, two wellness rooms, and a puzzle area for breaks and socializing. During our monthly ezTogether weeks, we host various events like yoga classes, arts and crafts, trivia and happy hours.
Compared to working remotely, how would you say working in the office has benefitted the way you work?
Although I enjoy working remotely, I love having the option to go into an office. Spontaneous conversations in the office often lead to new ideas that might not arise as organically during remote interactions. For example, a casual chat in the kitchen while eating lunch together can spark a brainstorming session for a new project. As a relatively new employee, being in the office has accelerated my ability to get to know my coworkers and made my onboarding process smoother and more comfortable. This dynamic environment helps me feel like a true part of the team.
AIR Communities is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates multifamily housing across the United States.
Tell us about AIR Communities’ office space and how frequently the team uses it.
Our office is in the heart of the Denver Tech Center and has beautiful views of the mountains. It has an open floor plan and was designed so that you can see out the windows with lots of natural light no matter where you sit.
We are fully in-office and the open layout allows us to naturally work collaboratively at our desks which are all open and set up with an automatic standing feature. Our offices have huge whiteboards that have been painted on the walls and within conference rooms for collaborative communication and meetings. There are several different areas where you can take private phone calls or focus time. Additionally, we also have a beautiful area called “Gusto Cafe” where there are booths, tables and comfortable chairs to catch up and grab coffee and lunch.
What types of amenities does AIR Communities offer for in-office work? Do you have a personal favorite?
As mentioned above, we have a beautiful cafe area. We also have a barista who makes specialty coffee drinks in the morning and in the afternoon. We have companywide lunches, breakfasts and mix-and-mingles monthly that allow for time to get to know colleagues, and different teams take turns hosting with a variety of events. The cafe is our gathering place for these events and is the central hub of our office. It’s a beautiful space where we all enjoy spending time together, and it creates both scheduled and serendipitous conversations to build community within the organization.
Compared to working remotely, how would you say working in the office has benefitted the way you work?
Working in the office has greatly benefited collaboration and comradery among teammates and departments. Development of teammates is accelerated by having them be able to participate in live problem-solving or unplanned training situations that come up in real time just by being present.
“Working in the office has greatly benefited collaboration and comradery among teammates and departments.”
I have personally been pulled into broader discussions because I was in the hallway or walking by and part of the “hallway conversation.” Conversations like these have expanded my understanding of our industry and business which have in turn further developed my career. I too have been able to pull teammates into my office to brainstorm which I would do far less of if they were remote. Brainstorming and white boarding on Zoom is far less effective and not nearly as much fun.
HCSS is a construction software company that helps construction teams streamline management and operations.
Tell us about HCSS’ office space and how frequently the team uses it.
The HCSS office space is a three-building campus. I work in the sales section of Building 3. We have a large bullpen in the middle where my team, lead generation, sits. It’s open, collaborative, fun and busy. I’m usually in the office Monday through Thursday. Usually, you’ll find me in my office, but I like to pop out into the bullpen and goof around with the sales development representatives. We have a soccer field and a track on campus and I like to walk the track when I have one-on-ones, especially when the weather is nice.
What types of amenities does HCSS offer for in-office work? Do you have a personal favorite?
Too many to count! Basketball court, soccer field, multiple gyms, track, running trail and a racquetball court. We also have a car wash service that comes up to the office. We have trainers and yoga instructors to utilize. Fancy coffee machines and refrigerators stocked with soda, Gatorade, etc. I’m sure I’m leaving out a ton of other amenities.
My favorite office perk has to be the Wednesday Company Lunch. Every week, we meet to eat and learn some news or updates about the company. It’s a great way to make sure I’m keeping up with my fellow employees and I get a free meal out of it.
“My favorite office perk has to be the Wednesday Company Lunch. Every week, we meet to eat and learn some news or updates about the company.”
Compared to working remotely, how would you say working in the office has benefitted the way you work?
For me, it’s the ease of being able to connect with my team. Quick questions don’t have to become meetings, and it’s easier for us to mix work with goofing off. Also, when you’re at home, there’s no one next to you that you can learn from or bounce ideas off of. I find that onboarding and training go more smoothly when we’re in the office together.
