Trends: Video Games, Massages And Parties at Work

By Julia Crowley First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- This isn't your parents' workplace anymore. Experts say generation "Y" also called the "me generation" is changing how we do our work. Now many companies are using unconventional tactics to keep twenties something's happy at work.

This trend is most popular among Dot Com companies like Slide.com. The Silicon Valley web company helps 130 million visitors a month create creative pages on sites like MySpace.com and Facebook.com.

Perhaps the most unique part about Slide is what's going on in the office. Employees can play video games or ping-pong. There's lots of drinks, food and even pets. This type of workplace is just what Gen-Y ordered.

"You know, just being in this fun laid back environment," says Morgan Sherwood who works at Slide.

Many companies are now offering massages, elaborate meals and the occasional parties. Many of these are paired with high salaries for the creative twenty something's. One of the most well known companies creating unique environments is Google. Many Google offices have on-site gyms, free cafeterias, massages, on-site childcare and even on-site doctors at some offices.

And employers say it's leading to even high productivity.

"Having employees that are happy mean that they'll be more creative and spend more time on the little things that make the project go and make themselves happy," says Kevin Freedman, Vice President at Slide.

But in many cases there is still plenty of pressure and plenty of work getting done at these offices. "There's definitely pressure to perform, but it's also really neat to be in this environment, to share ideas," says Sherwood.

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