This is not a coffee shop – this is the reception at one of our clients in Denmark.
They can greet you, get you a visitor’s badge and notify the employee your meeting with. And while you wait for them to come meet you, they can also whip up an excellent cappuccino or a flat white.
Employees can also have informal meetings in the café and buy coffee cheaply using their ID cards or an app on their phones.
I saw something similar at the Coca-Cola HQ in Atlanta.
I like this kind of thing because it breaks down the formality of the reception area and makes it more welcoming and interesting. It gives visitors a better first impression and provides employees with a more relaxed setting.
Does your workplace have something similar?
Thanks Alexander. I really like the idea of making workplaces more welcoming! A few years ago, I did some work with a nonprofit that had their lobby set up as a resource library, so you could grab a book or info packet as you waited. I would be curious to hear how other workplaces have done this without all of the resources that might be required to have a coffee shop set-up (think nonprofits, smaller organizations, etc)?
Work places are all about human interaction, so doing something different from other employers is always good and will stand out. Business these days is often done professionally, but informally so it breaks down barriers and makes it easier to deal with people. Big corporations often have imposing reception areas, security guards and not very engaging. Taking away the formality is a winner in my book.