Life in the Googleplex

Forward!

An employee heads to his next appointment via electric scooter.

Google's HQ, otherwise known as Googleplex, is situated in Mountain view, California in Silicon Valley. Throughout the corridors between the four buildings, there are all sorts of Google memorabilia on display. They even employ guides who specialize in explaining Google's history to people. There are lava lamps everywhere, as well as free coke and candy all over the place. They've also got huge multicolored exercise balls everywhere.

People's workspaces are full of individuality, and the atmosphere is relaxed. There are couches everywhere. People can have a lie down when they need to and take a break.

Desktop gizmos and lava lamps express Google's laid-back ethos.

Google's staff loves sports. The big guns often have meetings at the pool table or in the corridors.

The casual atmosphere in Google HQ can be demonstrated by the fact that staff can bring their pets to work, and the pets are allowed to wander around the office

There's a rule within Google: that there must be food within 100 feet of every employee.
There was once an engineer who felt a bit ripped off about that rule because his nearest food counter was 120 feet away, so he asked for the error to be corrected, tongue in cheek. The relevant department replied: 'There's a restaurant right above your desk, and you are definitely less than 100 feet from that one.'

MARCHING ON ITS STOMACH
Google is obsessive about food, offering its employees three free gourmet meals a day that can be eaten in a cafeteria adorned by artwork created by Google employees.

There's free food all over the place, it almost look like a supermarket

Hmmmmmmmm chocolate!

There's also a free laundry room for use for the staff

ASK THE HELP DESK
Laptop on the fritz? Google keeps experts on site to fix computers and other digital gadgets.

GOOGLER WITH GOGGLES
A lifeguard sits on duty as an employee works out in one of two swim-in-place pools at Google's headquarters.

GOOGLE GRAFFITI
Two employees break for coffee beside the 'idea board,' a canvas for playfully grand designs like Google spaceships

HANGING OUT
Googlers can shoot pool while taking a break in one of several employee lounges.

GOOD-HAIR DAYS
Google contracts with stylists to give its employees cut-rate haircuts.

RULING THE NET
Google employees take an afternoon volley ball break. The corporation's Mountain View campus is at once a flurry of playful activity and creative technological innovation.

KIDS' PLAY
There are toys for employees' children and for the young-at-heart Googlers like this one

HANDS-ON CARE
The work-weary can unwind with a Google-subsidized professional massage

This looks more like a toyshop than a workspace!

Rumor has it, a dude who had just joined Google had not been able to find a flat, so he lived at Google HQ for a month. He lived a lot better than Tom Hanks in The Terminal. Meals are provided, couches everywhere, there are showers in the bathrooms, a gym and a swimming machine. There are even pianos in music rooms you could use. Better than the facilities at home! The dude didn't leave Google HQ for a month straight.