Sleeping rooms, dogs and golf: Inside Google's German headquarters

The office is dog friendly, with staff allowed to bring their hounds into work with them, writes Nick Webster from Munich

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Google’s German engineering headquarters in Munich is the kind of office environment many can only dream of.

With two on-site baristas ready to serve up the perfect coffee macchiato, and a choice of canteens from which staff can drop in for a wholesome feed – almost every consideration has been made for worker welfare.

A quick tour of the Munich office on Internet Safer Day to promote the latest technologies and innovations to help keep our information secure online offered a glimpse into a privileged world.

The office is dog friendly, with staff allowed to bring their hounds into work with them – as long as there is no friction with any neighbouring pets on the next desk.

There is an outdoor basketball court and fully functioning gym equipped with all the latest equipment, complete with motivational messages from Arnold Schwarzenegger himself.

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Plants hang down from the ceilings to give a feeling of the outdoors, even on the most hostile German winter’s day and an indoor crazy golf course can keep workers busy during break time.

If golf’s not your thing, there is always a game of pool or table football to help pass the time.

Whilst the work and rest balance strikes all the right notes, there is also a keen eye on the environment inside the walls of Google’s Munich office.

Rain water is harvested from the rooftops and used to flush the toilets, with each area of the sprawling office off Marlene Dietrich Strasse themed to offer the perfect ambience to get the best out of staff.

The luxurious surroundings are enough to make even the most privileged green with envy – with free music lessons offered to those looking to turn their hand to a new skill in a dedicated music room.

Life at Google is set at a different pace, and if it all gets too much – there is a quiet room for some meditation and even a sleeping room for staff to take a power nap and recharge their batteries.