Inside Microsoft’s super cool new office in Hong Kong

Gone are the days of dull and drab cubicle spaces.

Realizing that inspiring surroundings can have a direct effect of their employees’ creativity, Microsoft took its new office in Hong Kong to another level with surreal interior design ideas.

 The Microsoft workplace in Cyberport 2 is unlike a traditional office, it is more like a laboratory, a sandbox and a springboard. An opportunity to break boxes and build communities.

“At our new Hong Kong office, we wanted to identify and meet the unique needs of Microsoft’s businesses through the provision of appropriately designed and equipped work environments,” said Horace Chow, General Manager of Microsoft Hong Kong.

Microsoft Office implemented new ways of working and function-based work environments to allow its employees to achieve more. For example, it removed dedicated seating to encourage social bonding and to promote a neighborhood concept. In addition, it has Collaborative Hubs, Project Rooms; Open Meeting Areas, Focus Rooms and more to cater to different purposes.

“Fully equipped with adjustable tables, personal lockers, massage chairs and ergonomic work desks, our office is designed to improve employee wellness and to be human-centric,” explained Chow.

Full Design Highlights include the following:

No dedicated seats: Promote neighborhood concept and create social bonding, not for space or cost savings
No desk phone: Skype for business using tablets and phones for instant communications and conferencing anytime, anywhere.
Collaborative Hubs: Facilitate teamwork, brainstorming and collaboration
Creative Blackboards: Promote ideas generation and creativity
Project Rooms/Focus Rooms/Open Meeting Areas/Phone Booths:
Different functional settings to cater for different types of meetings and discussions.

Human-centric and wellness designs
Adjustable Tables: Cater for health and wellness of staff, especially for employees who prefer standing to work due to back problem
Quiet Seats: Providing private spaces for concentration
Mother's Room: Cater for specific needs of working mothers
Personal Lockers: Give dedicated spaces for personal belongings
Equipped Work Desks: Each desk is well-equipped with large monitor and ergonomic keyboard, etc. for comfortable work
Massage Chairs: Enable relaxation between work and over lunch
Café with Premium Coffee Machines: Provide proper breakout and relaxation areas

Janny Leung, an employee at Microsoft Office comments: “I’m very excited about all the new workplace designs, which are a perfect blend of aesthetics, functionality, innovation and ergonomics. I particularly love the new additions of adjustable desks and standing desks that allow me to take turns sitting and standing during the day. It helps relieve my back pain, and also makes me feel more energized and productive at work.”

The new Microsoft Hong Kong, occupying the 13th-15th floors of Cyberport 2 also incorporates local cultural elements into the workplace. Each floor has its own unique theme, and its current employees had an active role in naming the rooms.

The project is led by Microsoft Office’s Real Estate & Facilities Senior Portfolio Manager Moira Boulle, who is in charge of overseeing the whole project from design to implementation. She works with a design house to develop the new office design concepts that are aligned with our Microsoft Global Workplace strategies, which is a set of guidelines Microsoft has developed for its workplaces around the world. An example would be to incorporate local culture elements into the workplace.

The design of the new Microsoft Experience Center on the 15/F aims to nurture collaboration with customers and partners, including local startups, through a great showcase of joint innovations. From day one, more than 50 solutions and demos, including the latest devices of different form factors and screen sizes, have already been built into the Microsoft Experience Center, with more to come.