When operating a platform that hosts millions of distinct and quirky items, putting some of those objects in the office is an effective way to keep the mission in mind. And when developing mobile casino games like blackjack, slots and poker, it helps for team members to feel like they are never too far from Las Vegas.
These are sentiments held by Seattle’s OfferUp and DoubleDown Interactive — a product marketplace and casino game developer, respectively — whose platforms inspire the offices they inhabit. Leaders at each company discuss why it was so important for their spaces to mirror the work their teams do on a daily basis.
OfferUp connects local buyers and sellers of goods, essentially “helping people find cool stuff,” says CEO and Co-founder Nick Huzar. The leader said they use their own platform to buy things for the office and the unique items remind team members why they come to work each day.
What inspired the design of your office, and what feature do employees love most?
Our marketplace is home to millions of unique items, and we wanted to showcase that eclecticism throughout the office with real items found on the app. We have more than 50 conference rooms, each representing some of our most popular cities, and each is decorated in a different theme based on the city. Plus, everything was bought on the platform, so every day we see the results of our work to build a marketplace that helps people find cool stuff.
We’re creating a “history wall” that will illustrate the major milestones in the last nine years of OfferUp.”
What exciting plans do you have for the future of your office?
Our office is a direct reflection of our successes and the people who’ve made it happen. Right now, we’re creating a “history wall” that will illustrate the major milestones in the last nine years of OfferUp and give guests and employees a deeper look into how we got to where we are now. This year we also introduced an annual award for employee excellence and are designing a place to honor the people who win.
Director of Human Resources and Studio Operations Sarah Garcia said that at DoubleDown Interactive, players are always top of mind in the company’s Vegas-themed office. The company develops mobile casino games played by millions and Garcia said their office reflects the aspects of those games that players enjoy most.
What inspired the design of your office, and what feature do employees love most?
Our design was inspired by our games and our employees. We wanted our space to reflect what our players love about our apps and what our employees value in their daily lives. Our employees love our redesigned kitchen area that includes a lounge area, great snacks and drinks, pinball, foosball and ping pong.
We wanted our space to reflect what our players love about our apps.”
What exciting plans do you have for the future of your office?
We plan to continue to focus on what makes our employees feel at home and to keep any future improvements on brand. We just finished remodeling, so we don’t have any immediate needs to change anything.
