The March Madness basketball tournament reigns supreme in the month of March, until now. We’re here to tell all those 6+ foot athletes to step aside, because Fast Company’s #OfficeThrowdown is here to steal the spotlight.
They’re taking eight workspaces in New York City that will blow your mind and letting you, the viewers, decide who gets to rank Number 1 in their #officethrowdown. What makes an office better than the rest? Is it the layout and atmosphere? The perks and recreational activities? Or is it the above-par office coffee service? It’s up to you to decide.
There are eight finalists competing for the number one spot. Voting for the first round ends March 6 at 5 p.m. EST, so make sure you cast your vote for the final four to move through the bracket.
With all the awesome offices out there, things might get a little overwhelming. We thought you might need some help making up your mind, so we’ve highlighted features about our favorite contenders – Yelp and Quirky.
Yelp
Yelp is settled in the heart of the Flatiron District in their brand new office that takes up an entire city block – the bigger the better, right? The workplace of this food rating service has an open space, minimalist appearance that makes it feel more like a modern and friendly environment instead of a stuffy, old office.
When you step into their Fifth Avenue office, its like taking a walk right through the city. Each department is color coordinated and named after NYC neighborhoods. So let’s say you want to find the Local Sales Training department, you would follow the blue tracks on the floor that correspond to the Meatpacking district all the way to the end, where you’ll reach your destination. This internal mapping system will make sure no one ever gets lost, no matter what floor they’re on and what district they’re looking for.
Don’t be surprised when you see employees getting place to place on their scooters. After all, that makes getting somewhere more efficient, and let’s face it, more fun. If you follow one of the people on scooters, maybe you’ll even end up at the office High Line, where green carpets and lounge chairs make the space somewhere you want to be. Plus, they have beer on tap. Can it get any better? You’ll be asking yourself, “Am I really at The New York High Line?” No, you’re still in Yelp’s super cool office.
All in all, the Yelp office rocks. But don’t only take our word on it, check out their video and see what their competition has to offer. Our favorite part of the video happens 1 minute and 18 seconds in, where you can see Corporate Essentials baristas hard at work. That makes us a little bit biased, but as you can see, only the best offices have the best office coffee service.
Quirky
Quirky’s mission is to make inventions come to life, and you can see their mission fulfilled throughout their industrial work space on Manhattan’s West Side Waterfront. The office building feels like a giant workshop, with tools everywhere and an atmosphere that makes you want to get your hands dirty.
Quirky’s office is designed to help ideas turn into products all in one place. The 3D fitting room, also known as the Theme Shop, is where they do their 3D printing, laser cutting and mold making to bring inventions one step closer to completion. They also have their own photography studio, where they photograph products, packaging and anything needed throughout the process.
One of the coolest features of this massive workshop is the all-inclusive Smart Home Vignette. What looks to be a homey living room is actually an area designed for people to experience the products firsthand. This area allows for inventions to be seen and tested, supplying employees with the experience that a user would have in their own environment. Quirky really leaves nothing up to chance.
Employees are the backbone of the company, and Quirky encourages their employees to be healthy and active, especially by biking to work. If things start to get a little hectic and tension levels are high, the in-office yoga studio helps everyone de-stress and decompress their worries away. There’s even a shower handy to keep everyone feeling fresh and clean throughout the day.
One of our favorite parts of the office is the kitchen – after all, we are partial to functional break rooms. The large, spacious kitchen offers an open concept including its very own beverage bar. Whether you want iced coffee, beer or wine, this place has got it all. Check out the video, and see what Quirky’s office is competing against for a chance at the crown.
How Can I Vote?
Everything we’ve just said would mean nothing without your help and your vote. Here’s how you can make your voice count:
- You can go to the Yelp or Quirky Office Thowdown videos, open the “See More” tab and click on the “Cast your vote HERE” link. Or,
- You can go to the Office Throwdown page.
All you have to do is scroll down below the bracket and cast your vote by filling in the circles in “Today’s Ballot”.
Don’t forget, voting ends on March 6 at 5:00 p.m. EST, so make sure your vote is in before the next round begins and we are one step closer to an #officethrowdown champion.
