Are workplaces with bowling alleys and yoga studios really good for Charlotte? I’m not so sure
Charlotte is already bubbling over with fancy new apartment buildings featuring luxurious amenities. Think saltwater pools, bocce ball courts, dog washes, hot-stone-massage services.
Are workplaces next? Red Ventures brought luxurious workplace amenities to its Fort Mill campus in 2014: A bowling alley, a beer garden, fitness studios.
Now, AvidXchange is opening a new headquarters building at the Music Factory location with amenities like shuffleboards, Xboxes, gyms, a yoga studio and basketball courts. Employees are moving in over the next couple of weeks.
The cool apartments/cool companies combo sure should make Charlotte seem like an epic place to live and work, right?
While the apartment amenities are flat out unnecessary and absurd, if people want to pay for those, more power to them.
As for the workplaces, my worry is that an eruption of Silicon-Valley-style companies would turn Charlotte into a work-obsessed, anti-social community.
Yes, these companies could entice high-quality workers and innovators to Charlotte, and (hopefully) promote a workforce culture of creativity and innovation. Red Ventures and AvidXchange employ more than 3,000 people and about 900 people company wide, respectively. This seems good for the city’s economy.
And yes, these company amenities offer opportunities for employees to de-stress with light activities like shuffleboard and Xbox games. Also good.
But if employees have “everything” they need to fulfill de-stressing and extracurricular desires within their workplace campuses, what incentive do they have to just get out and explore Charlotte? Become part of its community fabric, support the other businesses that make Charlotte great, rather than just staying hyper focused on their own businesses?
If you have a yoga studio planted in your office building, why bother taking classes at any of our amazing homegrown studios?
If you have a high-class fitness center steps away from your cubicle, why pay money to hold a YMCA gym membership that would support our nonprofit community?
If you have a beer garden to sip at with your coworkers, why take the time to drive to a local brewery and support their beer (or kombucha or cider) production?
I’d hate to see Charlotte turn into a city filled with insular work communities. I’d hate to see it turn into a city filled with newcomers who never have time to learn what they love about our arts, food and fitness scenes because they’re so caught up with their work, food and fitness scenes at their own offices from dawn until dusk.
Our offices shouldn’t be the only world we know. There are people to meet and connect with. There are places to experience. There’s a whole world outside of work to relish.
Photo: AvidXchange/Charlotte Observer
This story was originally published May 8, 2017 at 1:00 AM with the headline "Are workplaces with bowling alleys and yoga studios really good for Charlotte? I’m not so sure."