Americans' concept of the workplace has shifted dramatically over the last couple of decades.
No longer content with rows upon rows of stodgy cubicles, the modern workforce expects — and deserves — a welcoming space to connect, get creative and roll up their sleeves.
The following five Chicago companies have invested in their offices with empowering wall quotes, libraries stuffed with books and inviting kitchen areas where employees gather for great food and even better conversation.
Who doesn’t love a beautiful library? At Ansarada, they have their own. The office space of the AI-powered deal-making platform was designed with their company value of curiosity in mind, said Sean Elder, VP of sales, Americas.
What inspired the design of your office, and what feature do employees love most?
When designing the office, the company values — care, curiosity, courage and change — were front of mind. My favorite part of the office is the library, which was installed to encourage and reinforce a culture of reading, learning and personal growth. This resource is constantly growing as we engage in a book club every quarter; it’s a great platform for team bonding and shared education. The lounge and gathering areas are great places for everyone to come together and talk about their week, have a drink and enjoy each other’s company.
My favorite part of the office is the library...”
What exciting plans do you have for the future of your office?
We are working to provide an even more social space for both our clients and employees to come together. We often host events in the office to show off the great space that it is. We have plans for a few fun new upgrades to make those gatherings much more impactful, like a pool table, media centers and maybe a few other surprises along the way.
“Bright, sunny and open” might be how Rene Hasse describes Grant Park on a summer’s day. Or Integral Ad Science’s office. The vice president of data engineering at the adtech company described the communal vibe of the company’s space, and said it’s rooftop deck is not to be missed.
What inspired the design of your office, and what feature do employees love most?
We just moved into a new office, and we love it. When we were looking for a new home for our Chicago team, we were searching for an open-air feel, collaborative spaces, small and large meeting rooms and a fantastic location.
People love the new spacious and bright office space with a fully stocked kitchen. They also appreciate the amenities of the building, which include an all-hands space, a rooftop deck and a gym. Our teams love the lounge-type break-out areas in the center of the office as well as the proximity to public transportation.
Our teams love the lounge-type break-out areas...”
What exciting plans do you have for the future of your office?
We moved into the space about two months ago, and we’ve already done a good amount to make it our own. Our conference rooms each have a painted accent wall in company colors, and the furniture is bright and sunny. As our headcount grows, we are trying to create an all-hands space where our expanding team can meet. We’re also looking forward to having larger TVs installed and getting whiteboards into all meeting rooms.
According to SVP of Culture and People Experience Meredith Graham, Ensono’s offices incorporate uniformity and uniqueness in equal measure. The company provides a wide variety of hybrid IT services to their clients and has offices all over the world. Graham said those offices are united in theme and share some key features, but staff in Chicago get a view of the lake.
What inspired the design of your office, and what feature do employees love most?
All of our global offices have the same modern features and colors inspired by our brand name and logo. Employees love the view of Lake Michigan the most.
Employees love the view of Lake Michigan the most.”
What exciting plans do you have for the future of your office?
The office is only a few weeks old, but we plan to bring some of the great things that we have at our headquarters in Downers Grove to our downtown office soon. These include daily fresh fruit and going green through recycling efforts.
The Mom Project is a digital talent marketplace that connects women in tech with companies that understand the complexities of their lives.
Founder and CEO Allison Robinson said the company’s office is meant to inspire a physical sense of connection and empowerment. One tangible way the space does this is through featuring quotes from inspiring women across history across the office walls.
What inspired the design of your office, and what feature do employees love most?
Our office design was inspired by female trailblazers, past and present. We have photos of famous women and empowering quotes featured throughout our office to help our team feel inspired and connected with our mission.
We are also driven by the future of our work at the company. Our office space is open and collaborative, yet full of private spaces. This allows our team to do their best work in whatever type of space they prefer throughout the course of their day.
Our office design was inspired by female trailblazers, past and present.”
What exciting plans do you have for the future of your office?
We are focused on using our office in a way that allows our team members to connect with each other. We moved into our new River North digs in September, and recently hosted our first event in the space. We had a Halloween party with our team, our clients and all of our team’s kids. It was an incredible way to bring our group together, and it was the first of many memorable team-building experiences.
CEO and Co-founder Darren Guccione said Keeper Security wanted an office that felt unique. So the cybersecurity software company tapped the expertise of multiple design firms to create a space that was customized to be immersive and engaging.
What inspired the design of your office, and what feature do employees love most?
We wanted to create a space that was experiential the second the elevator doors to our floor opened. The goal was to create an inspirational environment where people could tap into their greatest potential; somewhere that people wanted to be. We used multiple design agencies to create something very unique, especially in our industry. The feedback from our team and visitors has been exceptional.
We wanted to create a space that was experiential...”
What exciting plans do you have for the future of your office?
In the past three years, we have grown our team five times over, covering four global offices. Chicago is our flagship, given that it’s our headquarters. We are adding another 150 people in Chicago and have signed an option to occupy the entire fourth floor of our building. We are looking to fill some of our wall space with original works from Chicago artists.
