Is your office this cool?

Is your office this cool?
PHOTO: Is your office this cool?
(Clockwise from left) SAP Singapore's office is filled with cosy corners, such as this sitting room. An SAP Singapore employee snoozes inside the company’s only sleep pod, at its office at Mapletree Business City.. Facebook employee Cindy Low enjoying a glass of wine, courtesy of the company's pantry.

SINGAPORE - We're familiar with the feeling - heavy eyelids which threaten to close after you return from that hour-long lunch break.

At SAP Singapore, food comas may just be the thing you don't have to fight.

Concede defeat within the sleep pod - a reclining sofa which comes fitted with a helmet-like dome, painted black on the inside.

The dome, which encapsulates the upper half of the body, ensures that you get privacy from curious colleagues - who will find it difficult to figure out who's taking that much-needed nap on the job.

Built-in audio speakers also ensure you get the perfect lullaby for that afternoon nap.

"The pod is imported from overseas, and designed for power napping at work, to help employees recharge, manage stress and increase productivity at work," says Mr Kowshik Sriman, managing director at the firm, which sells and develops business management software.

It's not just sleeping on the job that the company tolerates - and encourages.

The 1,000-strong staff also get to enjoy a Nintendo Wii games console, and snooker and table football. These are located inside a pantry that's stocked with fresh fruit, which is replenished every day.

Cosy corners, where swing-like seats suspend from the ceiling, are also hot favourites among employees, says Ms Selina Yeo, head of communications (Southeast Asia).

"I like to come here for a break, to look out of the window or just to sit and read when taking a break," she says.

A 9m-long foot-reflexology path also encourages health and wellness, says Mr Sriman.

The SAP office, which occupies 3½ floors at the Mapletree Business City in Pasir Panjang, was designed by Australia-based architecture and interior design company, HBO+EMTB.

SAP, which has branches in more than 50 countries, counts Singapore as its regional headquarters.

The company moved into the 134,000-sq-ft space in January 2011, after a year-long design and furnishing process.

Facebook Singapore

Pamper those who work for you. That's what Facebook Singapore believes, if its office space is anything to go by.

The three-year-old office has everything you need to throw a junk-food party - and more.

Lays potato chips, Cheezels snacks - you name it, Facebook probably has it.

Cup noodles in every flavour you can think of line the office pantry and dining area, situated right beside the company's main reception area.

Shophouse shutters and tables and chairs reminiscent of old-school coffee shops are set against colourful splashes of graffiti, painted on the walls by local street artists.

Step outside to the patio, and you'll find small, portable barbecue grills.

"We have parties and cookouts on an ad-hoc basis here, and employees are free to use the space," says Mr Vikram Kumar, head of real estate and facilities management at Facebook (Asia-Pacific).

There's also something for health-conscious folks like Mr Kiran Raghavan, a partner manager overseeing the Asia-Pacific market.

"I love the healthy stuff. Watermelon and water," he says, gesturing towards the fridge.

Cups of bite-sized fresh fruit and sandwiches sit inside large coolers, close to a large pot brimming with the soup of the day. A juice blender and multiple coffee machines make sure you will never thirst.

The best part? It's all free.

Facebook tries to listen to its employees and get them what they want, says Mr Vikram. From coffee beans from Australia or a particular type of wine, it tries to bring them in if it can, he adds.

Letting employees have what they want goes beyond the gourmet grub.

The open-concept office features a physical wall which staff can doodle and draw on.

The office measures more than 21,000 sq ft over two floors in a Cecil Street building. The company declined to reveal the number of staff it has.

Staff are also given free rein to name the meeting rooms, resulting in quirky phrases, such as "I'll be Bak Choy" or "I'm a Seoul Man".

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