Spending extended nights at the office is a tradition for the modern employee. Without the daily commute, some workers find themselves residing in their workplace for days on end. Now, Google is looking to make this process more enjoyable, and has piloted an initiative to allow employees to sleep “on campus” for a fee.
The move is seen as a copycat of Twitter’s recent “Tower of Twilight” scheme, under which employees are provided access to an on-site sleeping facility for a small fee. Google, however, has taken one important step further: rather than offering a discrete area for employees to sleep in, it is providing a much broader range of sleeping accommodations. The company is now providing bedding and mattresses for those who wish to stay overnight at its Mountain View headquarters.
At the time of writing, the initiative is still in its early stages; however, the idea has been well received. As well as providing a more homely working environment for staff, it is hoped that it will help to reduce stress and improve attendance. Furthermore, Google’s plan could lead to more flexible remote working, as employees may have the ability to take extended breaks without having to leave the comfort of their workplace.
Of course, there are some potential downsides to the scheme; for example, allowing employees to stay in the office environment may lead to some people overstaying their welcome, while others may find the idea of spending too much time in a localized area too limiting. Additionally, it may be difficult to keep appropriate work-life balance, as spending extended periods on site may lead to burn-out or other mental health issues.
Ultimately, though, Google’s plan could be seen as a step in the right direction. As well as providing a home-away-from-home for its employees, the company is offering an additional layer of support that may be hugely beneficial to staff wellbeing. Whether it proves to be successful or not remains to be seen, but it is likely that other companies will be keen to follow suit.
