Facebook - Chapter 2

We walked into reception expecting security checks might take some time. It was the quickest, most efficient security check and greeting arrangement via computer we two Aussies, Ellen and I have experienced.  Lauren Sweeney, Director Environment was right there as we turned around to take us on our personal tour which lasted over an hour and a half. 

Facebook only recently bought the premises and gutted the inside of all the buildings, Lauren tells us.  The previous set up comprised of big offices and personal spaces where people worked alone and held meetings in large meeting rooms. Facebook felt that was the organisation’s downfall – Facebook’s philosophy is to have only small individual spaces positioned around the sides of the warehouse (just enough room for your computer) with really large benches in the middle for collaborative interaction.  It gets loud, people throw things across the room at times for fun, “Day 9 made me do it” is the normal excuse says Lauren but the warehouse rooms are engaging, dynamic, fun and creative.  They have pretty much stopped working from home as it lost the collaborative intent of what they do at Facebook

If you want quiet time you can put your headset on or go to a ‘cozy’ which is a small room for 1 to 2 people (or anywhere else on campus for that matter).  There are a number of small to medium sized meeting rooms with digital pads outside each room that shine green or red to show availability.  They are called ‘Wayfinders’ - if the room is busy the digital pad will let you know what rooms are free and how to get there.  There are also small rooms with one treadmill and laptop bench in there to exercise and work if you so wish.  You are also encouraged to walk and brainstorm outside along the road.

The campus is like a mini town and has been designed with that in mind around a street scene.  Large garage doors open up to the street giving an even greater feeling of space when inside.  Bridges connect buildings on the 2^nd and 3^rd floors so engineers/designers don’t have to go up and down steps continually to reach each other.  You can grab one of the many bikes to reach the other end or go to one of the many free café’s available.  Lauren tells us there is a saying for new employees ‘welcome to Facebook and your next 15lbs’.  The food is exceptional with a wide variety of alternatives (both healthy or not quite) and free at any time of the day.  There are a 2 large cafés; one we saw called “ETC”, then there is a burger shack, coffee houses and a sushi restaurant.  All free except for one coffee house if you want your special coffee and the stylish Japanese restaurant.

There is a Bank, a Health Fund, a bike shop where they fix your bike for free, a Laundromat, a Chemist, a shop to buy gadgets, a Bar and much more no doubt that we didn’t see.  This new premises is not near a groovy downtown area like it previously was in Palo Alto so Facebook needed to find ways to give it a village atmosphere.  Once inside for the day, the aim is that employees find all they want and a similar experience to the real world without having to go out. 

‘Hack Plaza’ is a large outdoor events and concert space.  HR organise the parties in this space and there is also an Events team who put on the bigger concerts and events.

Hack Plaza is named after the events they call Hackathons.    Facebook just completed its 35^th Hackathon.  It’s where a team is put together, usually cross functional and outside their area of expertise, to take on a new challenge.  The challenge is often worked on together overnight – from 6pm to 6am.  Hackathons we are told are about creativity. The 6pm – 6am atmosphere gets teams to the next level with the creative thinking and cross functionality (and lots of coffee and energy drinks). 

 Design Thinking, Rapid Prototyping, Agile, Scrums, are just some of the types of tools/techniques company's such as Google, Facebook, Apple use.

Whiteboards, post-it-notes, Blackboards to write on are everywhere – it’s all highly visible and visual environment at Facebook.  The visibility allows for faster more efficient work.  Visual boards outline what teams are working on, where teams are up to and what the stretch goals are.

Lauren showed us one large blackboard which is used for writing thoughts on and Lauren tells us they thought they would only need to clean it every 2 weeks.  Its gone crazy, people are writing, illustrating and posting up messages all the time. 

There is a lot of art in this place, it's all around the walls and people also personalise their space with their own art work.  It’s just one big crazy creative blast at Facebook. (And the pressure to continually perform and succeed, just by the way, is hectic a previous employee later tells me)

Lastly. Every Friday is Q&A.  Mark Zuckerberg comes into the Bar for 1 hour to discuss the strategic outlook and next moves, answer questions and ask for ideas.  Employees grab a beer before Q&A and then the drinks flow after.

As we leave, our Palo Alto city host and driver, Michael says “Congratulations - you two have just joined the small cool crew in the world who have been privileged to visit the Facebook campus”. 

Thank you Palo Alto and Menlow Park Cities for organising our tour.