04 Jun Connecting Changes Everything: A Peek into AT&T Headquarters
AT&T Headquarters
Dallas, TX
Featured Breakroom: AT&T
As AT&T’s trademark phrase says, “Connecting Changes Everything™”. When it comes to the breakroom, they don’t hold back. This wasn’t always the case though! Discover how AT&T’s leadership revamped their Dallas headquarters to foster employee connections.
Turning a Wishlist into Reality
In 2018, AT&T’s leadership recognized the need for a breakroom that better supports employees. To achieve this, they asked themselves: “How can we support employees?” They came up with a wishlist, which ultimately identified four key themes:
- Easy
- Healthy
- Sustainable
- Enjoyable
This led to a simple idea: Bring the comforts of home to the office, creating a “home away from home.” AT&T’s vision became a reality in 2018 and served nearly 6,000 in-office team members daily. After COVID-19, the breakroom was a major incentive for employees to return to the office.
Today, you’ll find about 75% of employees in the office three days a week. Two days a week, 30%-55% of staff are physically present. This hybrid schedule and the benefits of a fantastic breakroom allow employees to experience a better work-life balance than ever before.
Bringing Local Conveniences to the Breakroom
What is the modern employee always craving? More time. AT&T realized they needed to help make the lives of employees easier. To save employees time, AT&T introduced additional conveniences, which are all attached to the main breakroom area. Instead of running errands, employees can visit the on-site CVS, available 24/7, see doctors, or even get a chiropractic adjustment. This approach reinforces that to AT&T, wellness is a lifestyle, not an afterthought.
Going Beyond Physical Health
By having financial advisors onsite, AT&T promotes financial wellness. In addition, they encourage mental health with a game room and high-end movie theater (from when they previously owned Time Warner), allowing employees to let loose a bit. Employees can accomplish most of what they need to do without ever leaving the building.
AT&T redefines the workspace as an additional living environment.
The breakroom isn’t just a place to rest, but an extension of employees’ lives.
The breakroom isn’t just a place to rest, but an extension of employees’ lives, reducing the time spent on errands and increasing quality of life outside of work. Ultimately, this makes them better employees too, so everyone wins.
Breakroom, Café, Restaurant – A Little of Everything
Easily accessible from offices, the breakroom features a spacious dining area with snacks, beverages, and fresh food. In addition, there is a food court and bar owned by AT&T for employees to use. The breakroom is intentionally built to avoid lines, making it easy for employees to grab what they need, relax and enjoy the scenery, or quickly return to work. The coolers have beautiful LED lighting and crystal clear glass, which makes viewing the various options effortless.
Speaking of efficiency, in the micro-market area of the breakroom, AI-powered self-checkouts with scanners speed up transactions. In fact, you don’t even need a barcode. By combining 3D vision with AI, the scanner recognizes each item’s shape, size, color, and texture for accurate identification and extremely fast checkouts.
Barista-Ready Coffee Bar: “The Wire”
Would any breakroom be complete without office coffee? No, of course not! On a separate floor, you can find “The Wire,” the name for AT&T’s in-house coffee bar. Here you will find baristas available 9 am to 5 pm. The Wire offers an incredible variety of coffee, tea, and cold brews. If you want something a little different, just ask any barista, who will be happy to help.
Amenities on Every Floor
On each floor, employees can find a mini breakroom with a variety of juice, coffee, water, and ice. Some floors have super-automatic coffee machines and Vivreau water systems available. Throughout the offices, bulk snack machines are thoughtfully placed for those who need a quick snack before returning to their desk. Most importantly, however, they emphasize sustainability.
To AT&T, sustainability is not a buzzword or bandwagon to jump on, but imperative for the future. At each coffee station, there is an option for employees to compost, recycle, or trash their items. Directly above this, a TV monitor shares how AT&T is tackling climate change.
Why We Love This Breakroom
You can easily see how AT&T’s trademark phrase “connecting changes everything” is brought to life in the breakroom. Here is a quick summary of what we love most:
- Beautiful design
- Easily accessible
- Employee-first mindset
- Beyond food and beverage
- Future-oriented
AT&T’s investment in its breakroom and workplace environment enhances employees’ daily lives. It recognizes and appreciates them as human beings with diverse needs. Does your company have a Coolbreakroom? Share it with us at Coolbreakrooms!