What’s a yeti doing in the heart of Downtown Boston in the middle of summer? Ask sales team email software startup Yesware. The Google Ventures-backed company rallies behind the green, goofy creature, and keeps it as a core part of its company culture, whether he’s superimposed on office photos or dressed in theme for office throwdowns.
Sure, the yeti can written off as simply a playful symbol of Yesware 42-person team’s fun-loving spirit. The startup keeps two types of brews ready to go at all times, voted on by its employees (when I paid them a visit, Whale’s Tale Pale Ale and Brooklyn Lager were on tap). Because who doesn’t crave a chilled beer to go with their catered company lunch every Friday or an impromptu board game showdown?
But the monster’s meaning goes surprisingly – and meaningfully – deeper than that. The character was first featured Belgian children’s cartoon, TinTin in Tibet … and emphasis on Tibet. In many ways, Buddhism inspired the Yesware’s value system. Yesware CEO Matthew Bellows called Yesware “the Monastic startup” with good reason.
Bellows wants the startup to be the place where people do the best work of their lives, while working in a peaceful and supportive environment. A part of that means a balanced workplace, in mind, body and soul. So, when Yesware was looking for a new building, Bellows made sure that it was outfitted with a nap room and a yoga studio. The company uses the latter restorative space for gratuit sweat and zen sessions taught by local trainers, but individuals can use the room as they please throughout the day if they find themselves in need of recentering.
Healthy body means a healthy mind, so Yesware does what it can to make it easy for employees to be active. The office boasts a spacious shower, large bike room as well as a deluxe kitchen stocked 24/7 with fruit and good-for-you snacks. Take a tour around the space and you'll see standing desks popping up, too.
And if all those perks aren’t enough to get you in the right frame of mind, perhaps the beautiful view of Downtown Boston will …
