by Marj Casal
adobo magazine takes you inside what’s probably the only office where even though the boss is not away, the employees can absolutely play.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
iflix Philippines country manager, Sherwin dela Cruz clearly took this proverb seriously while telling their interior designer, Yzabel Cagalingan, about how their new office in Bonifacio Global City should be like.
“[An environment that would] change customer behavior,” recalls Yza when adobo asked her what exactly did Sherwin tell her that resulted into an office mecca for those who couldn’t just settle in their designated desk and swivel chair for nine hours a day, five days a week. “Their slogan is Let’s Play! How can they transcend to their customers if they’re working in an environment that doesn’t allow them to play?”
So, on top of the already fun job of curating movies and TV series for the fast growing Subscription-Video-On-Demand service, iflix built a headquarters that does not only make it hard for the employees to leave, but an environment that stimulates and squeezes out the most creative ideas that could have otherwise been tucked quietly away in the nooks and crannies of an idle mind.
iflix’s HQ stands out like the eccentric student that we all have during high school beside its neighboring white-washed offices laden with cubicles in the 26th floor of Trade and Financial Center.
The end of the cold marble floors and the start of the faux grass carpet mark the entrance to iflix’s playground. A rustic front desk with a plastic bowling set nearby right away sets the visitors’ mood. The short walkway from the reception area to the office tables is covered with a graffiti wall designed by Egg Fiasco, one of the two local artists who painted the walls of Bonifacio Global City along with other foreign designers. The graffiti wall is one part of the interior design that is uniform to all iflix offices across Asia, and for the Philippines, Egg Fiasco has decided to use elements from the movies and TV series that iflix carries.
The employees’ desks that transform into chess or beer pong tables if the need arises form only a small part of the office. “We don’t really have an assigned table. Anyone can sit anywhere,” says Zaya Pono, Corporate Communications Manager of iflix. Just like Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, the country manager doesn’t have his own separate office. He would just work in the conference room, in one of the pantry tables or one of the desks. “He just squats anywhere,” chimes in one of the employees.
The larger part of the room is made up of the two conference rooms, which they playfully call “The Mordor” and “The Batcave”, and “The Central Perk” which covers the pantry and three corner tables that resemble your favorite spot in a coffee shop.
The Mordor
The Batcave
Central Perk
Across the storage room or “The Chamber of Secrets” is the game room, the home of the Friday ‘Halo’ nights, that is fully equipped with an Xbox 360 console, and other classic board games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Taboo and Jenga. For the more mobile and athletic players in the house, a dartboard, basketball ring and a plastic golf set are right outside.
The Chamber of Secrets
Everyone is welcome and even encouraged to work beyond their desks. “We would like to develop a collaborative environment for our team members,” says Sherwin.
Since they moved in from their old shared office in W Building about two months ago, iflix’s admin officer joked that the employees are clocking in more office hours than they used to. Now, that’s a win-win situation for both the company and the team.
Clearly, a company that thinks about the welfare of its own people says a lot about its attitude towards business and its customers. No wonder that since iflix was launched in May this year, it has quickly grown to be the most popular Subscription-Video-On-Demand service in Southeast Asia, recording over 1.5 million members within 7 months.
In the Philippines, iflix has entered partnerships with the PLDT Group, Smart Communications, and GMA Network to bring the service closer to Filipinos.
By staying true to their motto, “Let’s Play!” and putting their people and customers first, iflix will surely continue to dominate and become the biggest player in the business arena.
