Green workplaces: Dept
At Plantclub, we love nothing more than meeting happy employees at their newly plant-filled offices. On one of our regular plant care visits, we stopped for a chat at the Dept office—to hear how they’re getting on with their greenery.
Dept are a full-service digital agency for creativity, technology, and data. They create leading digital products, services, and campaigns—supporting clients to build their businesses and accelerate growth. Founded in 1996, their team of 1,500 people works across 13 countries in Europe and the Americas.
People are at the heart of Dept’s mission. Guided by their motto “big enough to cope and small enough to care”, their capability as an agency is matched by a desire to make a positive impact on society. It’ll come as little surprise then, that in 2020 Dept was named Agency of the Year by the Lovie Awards.
Before COVID sent all employees into their home office, we made the Dept office into a green paradise for both humans and doggos.
The Dept Berlin office is located in a vibrant neighborhood on the border of Friedrichshain and Mitte. Their approximately 1,500-square-meter space spans an old industrial building. With a red-brick exterior, high ceilings, and beautiful big windows, it offers the perfect backdrop for a jungle of plants. Given the current Corona lockdown, the Berlin office is currently closed with employees able to work 100% remote (also powered by plants).
"Dept places great emphasis on the well-being and development of its employees, not only in terms of our own jobs, but also as a community and the office itself," said Joanna Hengstebeck, a Senior SEO Consultant.
The importance of employee happiness shines through in their workplace environment. Keeping up with human-centered design trends, their office recreates aspects of residential design—making an inviting and homely space to be.
Every room in the office can benefit from some greenery. Here you see the Dept kitchen area.
Not every meeting needs a formal setting. Putting armchairs into offices is part of a larger human-centered design trend.
Our concept mirrored these concerns, bringing lush greenery into the space without it seeming too strict or curated. Here’s what Tobias Kräft, Director Business Intelligence and Analytics, had to say about their new plants:
"I avoided using the lunch area before, because it was quite a sterile place to be. Adding plants to it changed that and made me use it more frequently, which led to more exchange with colleagues during lunch time and an even nicer surrounding."
Before the team switched to remote work.
We filled the space with a wide variety of pots and plants, bringing different colors and textures into the office—reflecting Dept’s focus on diversity. Mixing hanging baskets and desk-top plants, with large planters and standing pots, we distributed the greenery across 3 dimensions to get that rainforest feel. "It’s like working in a little jungle,” said Charlotte Witzke, SEO Consultant, “all the plants make it much cozier and the office appears more welcoming."
Nadin Rudorf and Katharina Wickenburg, Office Managers at Dept, gave their feedback on working with Plantclub: "Max and Jack are always available for questions and concerns and have a cool and creative team behind them. They are very uncomplicated, quick and solution-oriented in their communication with us."
The green makeover doesn’t stop at the Dept office. As with all Plantclub members, their team can order plants through a dedicated online store—on the Rainforest plan Deptsters even receive a 20% discount—showing employees they are valued beyond the office. If this sounds like your kind of company, take a look at Dept's careers page.
A mix of trailing plants, standing pots and desk plants turn the Dept office into a fresh breath of greenery.
Plantclub.io provides you and your colleagues with the benefits of plants, wherever you work. Rent office plants and transform your space into a green oasis, with flexible monthly membership options to suit your size. Diversify your employee perks with a dedicated company store, where you can give green gifts and your team can buy plants for their home office. Book a time to chat with us today.