What makes it so great?
Google sets the standard for Silicon Valley: free meals, swimming spa, and free doctors onsite. Engineers can spend 20% of time on independent projects. No wonder Google gets 1,300 résumés a day.
See link: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2007/snapshots/1.html
#2. Place to Work? A Local Google!!!
PENGROWTH http://www.pengrowth.ca/
What makes it so great?
I went to Pengrowth's brande new office buildings built in 2007 downtown Calgary, Alberta Canada.
Address: 222 3rd Ave SW
What did I find?
After finding my cheap parking beside the building I walked on the manicured lawns and past the sculptures to find a beautiful set of buildings. I took an elevator ride to the 21st floor...in the elevator I found a flat TV screen with snipits of all the latest news that day. I got off the elevator to find myself in what looked like a mansion! It was so incredible...picture cruise ship quality. Attention to detail, beautiful crown molding, seating area fit for a queen, wall decor and elegance. The chandalier had the Pengrowth oil drop logo all the way around it...nice touch. There was a curved staircase leading up to another floor to my left. The receptionist's title was "First Impressions Manager". She offered me tea, coffee, or water...I was waiting for her to offer me home made muffins....but then I learned that they were available in their own Starbucks on the second floor!
I was taken on a tour and found out that there are all original artworks on every wall...and as an employee you can request them for your office from a catalogue. There was a full kitchen you would see in the White House on EVERY floor. There were meeting rooms with fireplaces, couches, lounge chairs, tv's, workstations and so much more. Their boardroom had the state of the art conferencing system and screens.
While in the meeting room with my client there were 2 people that came by in 1 hour...one was sweeping the "crumbs" on the carpet next to us and another one wiped off the LCD lit table next to us. Amazing attention to detail. I thought I was in the twilight zone!
This is the new era of a giant like Pengrowth. With an office like that I can't imagine the employees would be looking around for other jobs...
I really wanted to just move in and live there. I asked. They replied, "Come visit us anytime."
I am just grateful to have the opportunity to recruit for them...someone I know will be living there eventually!
