For many times I’ve caught myself thinking about my dream job. What would I do every day that would make me the happiest employee in the world? I’m talking about waking up on Monday glad about the idea of going to work, and not seeing it as just a must.

Well, what if I told you it’s possible to get it, and, surprisingly, it’s not exactly about what you do, but where and how you do it.

Being at a place where you feel helpful and appreciated is great, but not enough. A place where you feel truly comfortable and happy is all about people and environment.

Having co-workers with potential to become friends and a workplace that seems like an extension of your home are the key to keep a great place to be around.

Culture and Values

I’ve experienced a few job interviews recently, but, this time, from the company side. There’s a lot of competent and well-skilled people out there, but it’s not that easy to find someone with these qualifications who will also get used to our Caker way of life and, eventually, be part of our culture and have the same values as us.

Here at Cheesecake Labs, we have some characteristics that define us as Cakers. Being competitive in the English Day, laughing at terrible jokes and making huge sized omelettes as shareable snack are good examples of it. I know it seems simple and naive, but trust me, it’s not that easy to find someone that’ll get it.

Besides our Caker culture, the values we’ve been building are essential to everyone’s wellbeing. Helping each other, interacting and talking as good friends are just a few actions that happen among us during work time that make every single one of us feel like home.

The Workplace

People who tend to work for hours in front of a computer know the feeling of being stuck on a text, an algorithm or whatever one’s doing. Being able to escape from your work mind for a few minutes usually makes everything better: ideas will be refreshed, you’ll feel rested enough to produce better and, specially, you’ll be more willing to produce.

That’s why it’s even better when you have a great place to spend these few minutes of leisure. A fun room with games, music, comfy couches and refreshing drinks seems like something that’d make people lose a lot of time, but it’s actually a fun way to relax your mind and go back to work with new ideas and a better mood. 🙂

Another nice thing to do is providing alternative desks around the office. The couches, pillows and silent rooms are always busy at Cheesecake Labs (and everyone has a well-equipped desk with a nice chair). Speaking for myself, I’m a faithful couch club member.

As a person who cares about visual references, chromotherapy and is a truly Pinterest lover, the office’s visual totally matters to me. Using a decor, pictures, colors and furniture that speak for the company’s culture make the place even more enjoyable.

“Good Job!”

Speaking of wellbeing at work, to feel good about your job it’s necessary to know if you’re doing it right. Feedbacks and recognition are appreciated by everyone. Of course, it’s not easy to hear something bad about the way you’re doing your job, but try to not to take it too personally and use it to improve yourself – sounds totally cliche, but trust me – you’ll improve your skills and feel a more satisfied person from the moment you start to do it. It’s also nice to consider that if you were asked to do something in a better way, it’s because the person who said it knows you can do it.

While receiving good feedbacks, it’s natural to expect a reward (besides the good feeling of having done something right). Companies that offer a good Career Plan and a fair monthly income usually encourage their employees to grow along while looking for a long-term goal.

Besides big rewards, such as promotions and salary review, having small acts of recognition (individually or collectively) – like prizes, dinners and office parties – to celebrate an achievement or a great effort are also nice and always welcome.