Microsoft Employees Working Among the Trees

[plat1098]

"In the latest edition of crazy perks tech companies give their employees, Microsoft is building tree houses for its employees.

One tree house, nestled in the bows of a Pacific Northwest Douglas Fir on the company's Redmond, Washington, campus, serves a meeting room. It features a round skylight that lets in "just a bubble of blue" and is more "Hobbit than HQ" according to a post on a Microsoft Blog. "

 

[boredog]

Do think this was aimed more at male employees, since boys like tree houses and girls like Barbies?

 

[Deleted member 65228]

I think this was done because it may help work performance - if the environment/setting is nice then you may be able to think more clearly and this can lead to more creative thoughts also. If the environment/setting is not very nice at all, you may be easily distracted and/or not be able to think clearly.

If this wasn't the reason, maybe Microsoft just thought it'd look cool or employees wanted it to be done because they like nature. Who knows.

Everyone is different and may work better under different conditions, others can work the same regardless of their work conditions.

 

[plat1098]

Do think this was aimed more at male employees, since boys like tree hoses and girls like Barbies?

Yeah @boredog, who cares, OK? They can swing from tall buildings like Spider-Man/Woman if it gives us bork-free "updates," you know?

This looks more like "indirect" advertising to me. Gosh, look at Microsoft, that's so extraordinary. Lemme run out and buy a Surface Pro 5 right now.

 

[Weebarra]

It is not dissimilar to what Google has already done, apparently if they create a happy/fun workplace then in turn they have less stressed, happy workers thus increasing the employees productivity and creativity. I have had some ##### jobs and there is nothing worse than going into your work and really wishing you were somewhere else. I don't fancy a treehouse though, i would never get up the ladder let alone get back down Maybe the tree house was built too high and that is why the MS employees seem to have their heads in the clouds most of the time, lol.

 

[boredog]

I don't fancy a treehouse though, i would never get up the ladder let alone get back down

There is no ladder. I is a plank ramp. I see they added two new employes too. Tarzan and Jane.

 

[Deleted member 65228]

It is not dissimilar to what Google has already done, apparently if they create a happy/fun workplace then in turn they have less stressed, happy workers thus increasing the employees productivity and creativity.

In a way I actually think that it works really well, because... If you are working from Home it is probably more enjoyable, but it isn't as social. If you have a fun work-place like big companies like themselves try to create, then it would be like working from Home with the social side (e.g. like in school you like talking to friends constantly, now you can do it while relaxed at work and getting paid).

Personally I'd love to be working in a fun environment with the social aspect, but also get time to work in quiet when necessary. Instead of working from Home entirely alone, or working in an environment which is difficult to manage with and isn't very appealing at all!

Avast are one of the top employers in Czech republic and they seem to have taken a similar/same approach to make a fun work-place, and in the end they get really good work delivered by employees.

 

[_CyberGhosT_]

I am pretty sure it was created to be a unique environment that inspires and promotes creativity, and alleviates the monotony that standard office environments promote.
Barbies & Sexism aside.

 

[Weebarra]

There is no ladder. I is a plank ramp. I see they added two new employes too. Tarzan and Jane.

Ah well, that swings it for me then. I won't be applying for a job with MS as my dodgy legs don't do ramps

In a way I actually think that it works really well, because... If you are working from Home it is probably more enjoyable, but it isn't as social. If you have a fun work-place like big companies like themselves try to create, then it would be like working from Home with the social side (e.g. like in school you like talking to friends constantly, now you can do it while relaxed at work and getting paid).

Personally I'd love to be working in a fun environment with the social aspect, but also get time to work in quiet when necessary. Instead of working from Home entirely alone, or working in an environment which is difficult to manage with and isn't very appealing at all!

Avast are one of the top employers in Czech republic and they seem to have taken a similar/same approach to make a fun work-place, and in the end they get really good work delivered by employees.

I wholeheartedly agree with you as i'm sure many of the employees of these companies would do. Happy workplace = Happy people.

I am pretty sure it was created to be a unique environment that inspires and promotes creativity, and alleviates the monotony that standard office environments promote.
Barbies & Sexism aside.

+1

 

[boredog]

How come they never show older people in these promotions? Old peoples lives matter. For the most part I have been only joking around. I would love to work out of a tree house but not in the winter if I were a young person in the working force. Then I would prefer to work on a Carrabian island. Much of the younger generation do work from home for some days out of the week. Unless I get bored with being retired, I won't have to worry about it. I still get offers for work even after retiring. Actually I get way more then when I was working. Suppose they want to try get experience for cheap because of age. Not sure.

 

[Handsome Recluse]

It is not dissimilar to what Google has already done, apparently if they create a happy/fun workplace then in turn they have less stressed, happy workers thus increasing the employees productivity and creativity. I have had some ##### jobs and there is nothing worse than going into your work and really wishing you were somewhere else. I don't fancy a treehouse though, i would never get up the ladder let alone get back down Maybe the tree house was built too high and that is why the MS employees seem to have their heads in the clouds most of the time, lol.

The ladder guarantees employee retention then

 

[_CyberGhosT_]

How come they never show older people in these promotions? Old peoples lives matter. For the most part I have been only joking around. I would love to work out of a tree house but not in the winter if I were a young person in the working force. Then I would prefer to work on a Carrabian island. Much of the younger generation do work from home for some days out of the week. Unless I get bored with being retired, I won't have to worry about it. I still get offers for work even after retiring. Actually I get way more then when I was working. Suppose they want to try get experience for cheap because of age. Not sure.

I feel ya, I played The Division for 5hrs today, in the middle of the day on a Monday, I felt like I had done something wrong
I am not used to being retired yet lol. I do stay a lil busy, but it does feel weird.