Intrepid may have discovered the secret to a happy and productive working environment… beer.
On the same week Flight Centre opened the doors to its out-of-the-box HQ, the tour operator moved its staff into a funky new space featuring a beer garden.
Friday night drinks? Pfft, Monday to Friday Intrepid staff be like…
Jokes aside, the Melbourne-based office is the company’s first global headquarters and a symbol of independence after Intrepid’s shareholder split with TUI in August last year.
Created to encourage a culture of collaboration, the 567 Collins Street office has a completely open-plan, so open in fact that even the boss aka CEO and Co-Founder Darrell Wade, doesn’t have his own office.
Instead of assigning 230 staff to a specific table, each employee (including Wade) was given a locker and state-of-the-art technology so that they can ‘desk-surf’ between five ‘neighbourhoods’, 19 meeting rooms and 18 break-out spaces.
Although surrounded by law firms, Intrepid assures its new space is ‘more Brunswick Street than Chapel Street’, with interior design inspired by Intrepid’s history as well as Melbourne’s mix of cafes and restaurants.
Highlights of the new office include the ‘Arrival Lounge’ where visitors will wait until following the hand-painted sign-posts by Melbourne illustrator Rosa Friend to the five ‘neighbourhoods’.
There’s a large communal kitchen with a ping pong table custom-made out of recycled timber, and three elephant structures dotted around the office as a reminder of Intrepid’s leadership role in responsible tourism
Plus, the company’s mantra of Best Travel Experience Ever is displayed in neon lights in the corridor and a light-box art installation created with slides taken from travels in the 1970s and 80s pays homage to the history of Intrepid, Peregrine and Geckos Adventures.
“This is more than just a new office for Intrepid, it marks a real milestone for the story of the Intrepid Group.”
Darrell Wade, Intrepid CEO and Co-Founder
Managing Director, James Thornton, added that the company wanted to create a space to “socialise, to share knowledge and ideas”.
“Last year we went through the biggest change ever to our business, and instead of slowing us down – it’s lit a fire that we just couldn’t have predicted,” he said.
“Sales have been fantastic with all brands smashing targets. We can’t wait to host our industry friends in our new space. The energy is tangible.”
The new Intrepid Group building includes safe bicycle store, a repair centre, and shower facilities with a daily towel service. All Melbourne staff were given a $200 voucher for Good Cycles, a not-for-profit bike shop, to welcome them to the new building and help to gear up for another busy year ahead for the fast-growing travel company.