Playing around at Google NY

The NY Times has an article in the Sunday Times titled, "Can Google Come Out to Play?" After all of the hub-bub over the past couple of days in the 'sphere, I wonder what articles like Deborah's will do for the general opinion.

I had a chance to visit Google Eastplex in November during my trip to the NY Tech Meetup. The environment I must say was simply amazing. Creativity was the first word that came to my mind as I walked through the front door. Such a different feeling than my first job in public accounting wearing a 3 piece suit and not being allowed to take off the suit jacket when at the client site.

A couple of snips from the article:

The New York tradition of leaving the office to network over lunch or an evening cocktail party has no place at Google, where employees are encouraged to socialize among themselves. FOOD is a major perk at the Manhattan Googleplex. Every Tuesday afternoon, tea with crumpets and scones is served. In the cafeteria a dry-erase board lists local purveyors of the ingredients in the meals like a sign at the Union Square Greenmarket.

Sure, the snacks and the employee affinity groups are nice. But the biggest perks are stock options dating from before Google’s initial public offering in August 2004. The strategy of keeping employees happy and committed to spending endless hours on campus seems to be working. Richard Burdon, 37, an engineer who joined Google two years ago, has been staying past midnight to prepare for the introduction of a project.

As a side note…. If you ever get a chance to visit Google East, head across the street to the Chelsea Market – an awesome 100 or so food merchants, all small businesses. Try the Fat Witch brownies for some heavenly goodness. This is also where Food Network films most of their shows and where I got to spend a day with Rachael Ray on her set. Yum-O!