{"id":85560,"date":"2017-07-14T14:30:57","date_gmt":"2017-07-14T18:30:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techvibes.com\/?p=85560"},"modified":"2017-12-14T12:10:17","modified_gmt":"2017-12-14T17:10:17","slug":"killer-spaces-bench-vancouver","status":"publish","type":"magazine","link":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/magazine\/killer-spaces-bench-vancouver","title":{"rendered":"Bench Vancouver’s Sleek Downtown Setup"},"content":{"rendered":"

A bookkeeping company that got its start in New York City and left\u00a0the concrete jungle behind for Canada\u2019s west coast.<\/p>\n

In 2013,\u00a0Bench<\/a>\u00a0CEO and co-founder Ian Crosby relocated the company to his hometown of Vancouver, BC; a thriving fintech community that draws top talent to both a growing\u00a0industry and enviable\u00a0west coast lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Five years ago, Bench set out to change bookkeeping for small business owners by\u00a0developing automated ‘do-it-for-you’ solutions. Their approach\u00a0combines intuitive software\u00a0and<\/em> a dedicated online bookkeeping team. The result is a clean, simple and affordable way\u00a0for organizing finance\u2014at five times\u00a0the speed of traditional\u00a0clerks.<\/p>\n

Since their Techstars NYC Accelerator program beginnings in 2012, Bench has tripled its revenue and grown to serve thousands of customers across the United States. It was named\u00a0the #1 Company-to-Watch as part of Deloitte’s Fast 50 Awards.<\/p>\n

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Work<\/h2>\n

Bench moved into its new 55,000 square foot space\u00a0in January 2017. Occupying three floors of the brand new TELUS Garden in Vancouver’s downtown, the 250 person Bench team is the largest online bookkeeping service for small businesses in North America,\u00a0and the\u00a0new office is\u00a0fitting of such a title.<\/p>\n

\"Bench<\/p>\n

The company wanted the space to feel accessible, open and engaging. Working with Perkins + Will<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Bench drew inspiration\u00a0from the Danish design concept of Hygge: warmth, comfort and closeness. Floor to ceiling\u00a0windows surround the multi-floor office, bringing in natural light and glimpses of Vancouver’s downtown through the trees. Concrete floors, wooden features and exposed pipes give the space a industrial-yet-sleek look.<\/p>\n

\"Bench<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to design a space that not only reflected who we are as a company, but provided and empowered our employees to do their best work. We were intentional in understanding how our employees work and we anchored our design around supporting those functions.\u201d-\u00a0Evan Birch, Senior Manager, Finance and Administration<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The varied working spaces in the office mean employees\u2014or ‘Benchmates’ as they are known\u2014have their pick\u00a0of\u00a0standing desks, regular workstations, couches and bar seating. There’s also no shortage of social areas and meeting spaces. As a nod to British Columbia’s natural beauty, the meeting rooms are named after nearby rivers, lakes,\u00a0native trees, and\u00a0mountain peaks. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Food<\/h2>\n

The team is kept fuelled with health conscious snacks including seasonal fruits and veggies, yogurt, granola and mixed nuts. They also have a bottomless pit of avocados for the money-saving millennials.<\/p>\n

During Bench\u2019s busy season\u2014better known as tax time\u2014catered lunches and dinners are frequent and cupboards are stocked with more substantial snackage.\u00a0Benchmates often take advantage of Vancouver’s culinary scene heading out to nearby coffee shops,\u00a0food trucks and restaurants.<\/p>\n

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For work, for quiet or play, the courtyard patio is a popular spot for all team members.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Culture<\/h2>\n

Bench\u2019s company culture is best summed up in three words: Enjoy your independence<\/em>. Not only is this a motto pulled directly from the employee\u00a0handbook, staff are also\u00a0encouraged to work with their managers and\u00a0colleagues\u00a0to make the office space work for them. They embrace flexibility and \u201cplug and play,\u201d empowering employees to pick-up and work from the location and setting that best suits their work style. Instead of focusing on employee inputs, the focus is on the quality of work they are producing\u2014whether that’s done from a desk, restaurant booth or patio chair.<\/p>\n

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It’s a bunch of Benches\u2013get it?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Bench \"Bench<\/p>\n

Mental health is top priority at Bench, so much so that the company created a dedicated guide for mental health and\u00a0their own\u00a0designated wellness room. Bench offers each employee a \u201cWellness Fund,\u201d giving them the opportunity to invest in their physical and mental wellness, whether that’s through a\u00a0gym membership\u00a0or yoga retreat. They can even put these funds towards professional counselling, which may only be partially covered by their health plan.<\/p>\n

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The Technology teams keep ongoing chess matches close by, providing respite and recharge just steps away from their desks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Monthly Town Halls are a time for the team\u00a0to share and discuss what\u2019s happening at Bench and acknowledge the people they work with. CEO Ian Crosby\u00a0takes the mic each quarter to share quality metrics of Bench\u2019s performance, giving Benchmates a tangible idea of how their efforts are paying off.<\/p>\n

Weekly lunch and learns offered to all 250 employees focus on the\u00a0development of leadership and management skills. The most recent series was\u00a0geared toward developing emotional intelligence and stress management.\u00a0Bench hosts many local events, including those that support women in tech, encourage diversity in STEM fields, and engage the local community in crucial conversations about Vancouver’s tech economy.<\/p>\n

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Fun<\/h2>\n

Benchmates have their pick of company clubs and initiatives including a running club, bike club, weekly yoga and meditation\u00a0sessions, board games night, and quarterly hackathons. For the cyclists in the office, Bench provides a fully equipped bike storage area, as well as end of trip facilities and showers.<\/p>\n

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\"Bench<\/p>\n

Obligatory tech company ping pong tables offer up some friendly office competition.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And what’s an office without a visit from a furry friend now and again?<\/p>\n

The pet friendly office is home to Portia the Pomeranian. She also appears earlier in this article. Can you spot her?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Update:<\/strong> Perkins+Will, the design firm behind the Bench office has just released a video detailing the project. Watch it here:<\/p>\n