Our Young Post cadets got an exclusive tour of the Facebook HK offices. Here’s what the workplace is like at the social media giant
Time to take a ping pong break.Tanaya Wagh
Walking around the Facebook office, it’s obvious their workspace is like no other. I felt as if I was in someone’s stylish apartment overlooking the harbour, and not in the workspace of the biggest social media platform in the world.
The defining feature of the Facebook office is its art. The quirky and bold works that line Facebook’s corridors and rooms aren’t just tasty eye candy, but also reflect their core values and are sprinkled with inspirational quotes. Even more amazing is the Facebook wall, a physical embodiment of Facebook, that has the signatures and messages from people all around the globe.
Oh, and there’s a free snacks bar where workers can refuel, perfect for someone like me
Lauren Faith Lau
Talk about aesthetics! The Facebook office is what I want my future apartment to look like. Motivational wall art, beautiful furniture, a huge snack bar, and an amazing view of Victoria Harbour are just some of the one-of-a-kind elements at this office at One Island East building in Taikoo Place.
The atmosphere is fantastic and staff have lots of space to stretch their legs, as well as the freedom to surf the internet as long they want. I mean, what other job requires you to scroll through your Facebook newsfeed for work? Giant board games, comfy massage chairs, and a ping pong table are available for workers who need a break.
It just seems Facebook gives their employees a lot of freedom, which is why it’s so innovative and up to date with their users’ lives.
Pauline Wong
We have seen all those posts on Tumblr about how amazing working at Facebook would be, and we were not let down on this visit. Just walking into the office gave me pleasant and cosy vibes. The artsy aesthetic on grey industrial walls is perfectly framed by the incredible views of the water.
My favourite thing about the office is how creativity spans through the entire space. They represent Hong Kong by naming conference rooms after common Cantonese slang. They stick Facebook’s reaction emojis only found on Facebook all over their walls. Even better, there’s a literal “Facebook wall” where visitors can write their impressions. The once-white wall is now littered with colourful messages in different languages! We of course also artistically scrawled out “Young Post was here!” in a corner!
Silvia Tse
Facebook really stepped up their office game. Just by looking at the interior I see that the company is tech-savvy and relaxed. The friendly environment that extends throughout the office floors lives up to the image of the social media giant: creative, innovative, and with a strong belief in sharing.
There are a variety of innovative facilities: a screen that allows you to type in a employee’s name and track their current location, an amazing pantry, massage chairs, and even a vending machine that sells computer hardware products. But what makes this particular Facebook branch truly unique is its strong local flavour! During the tour, we constantly giggled as we pointed at rooms named after Hong Kong slang, such as “Thick Toast” (So Nosy). It shows that being local is crucial, even as FB continues its global push.
Kelsi Lo
What caught my eye when I first stepped into the Facebook office was the Facebook Wall (wall of creativity). The wall was filled with doodles and autographs of celebrities and visitors.
During the tour, I could feel that staff satisfaction was high on their list of priorities. For example, there’s an open kitchen with free, high-quality food, and low-key down areas with comfy bean bags. There’s even a massage room with panoramic views for breaks.
To me, the most creative and memorable part of the Facebook office is the way they name each area. For example, there are mini conference rooms that are called “Dimmer than Sugar Cane”, “Whatever”, “Blow Water”, and “Thick Toast”. They are mostly based on Hong Kong traditional or trending references! Facebook, as an international company, absolutely is leaving its mark on Hong Kong!
Malcolm McNicol
It’s the dream office, really. The sort of thing you see in movies – the way they depict modern workplaces like Facebook or Google. The setting was so homey and comfortable, yet still professional and sophisticated.
The way the office is designed sort of innately builds a brighter mood; you could tell that it’s a company with high expectations, but also one that cares deeply about its workers. As a growing community, you get the sense that everyone in the office is set on learning something new every day, absorbing knowledge from each other, and willing to be taught by their peers.
Personally, being able to go on the tour caused me to be more motivated to strive to work for companies like this – an evolutionary interpretation of what your standard office should be.