To avoid going stir-crazy, many workers were forced to create their own on-the-clock variety when the pandemic shifted their office to their home.
The living room couch, a sunroom rocking chair, even just changing the background on a video conference call — all served to stave off mundanity while getting work done at home.
But even the ritziest home office likely doesn’t compare to Sage’s new North American headquarters near Ponce City Market, a multimillion-dollar space designed to bewitch white collar workers.
“This is the hippest, coolest place in Atlanta,” Mark Hickman, Sage’s managing director for North America, said. “So, we want it to be an experience.”
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Sage is a U.K.-based accounting and HR software company that leased 57,000 square feet on the top two floors of the newly opened 619 Ponce building abutting Ponce City Market in Old Fourth Ward. It’s the first building constructed entirely from timber grown in Georgia, according to its developer Jamestown Properties.
Sage recently opened its offices, which The Atlanta Journal-Constitution toured March 27. The headquarters was estimated to cost about $12 million to build out, according to building permits filed with the city, which ranks among the most expensive workplace renovations per square foot in the city.
Neil Usher, Sage’s vice president of places, said the meticulous design and decor of the office represents the company’s commitment to its workers and Atlanta as a corporate homebase. The company first came to the Atlanta area in 1999 after acquiring Peachtree Accounting in Lawrenceville, expanding its software and HR offerings to small- and medium-sized businesses.
From conference tables to cushioned seats to a centerpiece spiral staircase, nearly every surface has rounded edges to represent Sage’s mantra of helping business smoothly flow for its clients.
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
“Most buildings are built in a pretty rectilinear way,” Usher said. “So, when you start introducing curves, you have to work quite hard to make sure you’re not losing a load of space you’ve rented.”
The company declined to disclose details on its lease, but the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported that Sage paid $70 per square foot, a record amount in the city.
Sage’s office spans the third and fourth floors of 619 Ponce, representing two-thirds of its office space. The ground floor is a Pottery Barn.
The company’s upper floor acts as the base for roughly 300 Atlanta-based employees, who can choose from dozens of seating options, meeting rooms and collaborative spaces. It features the expected trappings of a post-pandemic office, such as sit-stand desks and electronic whiteboards that automatically integrate with video conference software.
“Find what works for you,” Usher said. “Give choice and allow people to exercise that choice. Let them go on their own journey.”
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Sage has a hybrid work policy for workers, expecting them in the office at least three days a week.
“We’re very loose with the way that teams use the space because of hybrid working,” Usher said. “There’s ebb and flow during the week with teams coming and going.”
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
The office also boasts multiple barista bars that are larger than some brick-and-mortar café counters. Usher said the coffee bars were placed in areas where morning sunlight pours through the office’s windows, while areas envisioned for evening gatherings are in spots that usually get evening sunset views.
The third floor houses what Sage calls its Discovery Center, an expansive space meant to entice clients and customers.
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Sage has quickly grown in recent years, especially in North America. It has opened nine offices over the past 18 months, and Hickman said Atlanta will likely be the epicenter of the company’s back-end operations as it expands.
“(Atlanta) is one of the fastest-growing cities in North America.” he said. “Amazing talent, universities galore … we have no problems hiring top talent in Atlanta.”
The company has also deepened roots with the city’s universities, recently donating $100,000 to Morehouse College and providing scholarship funds for tech students. Sage also announced Wednesday it finalized four local nonprofit partnerships that focus on education, technology and economic opportunity.
“We’ve always had a commitment to Atlanta, but this (headquarters) really formalizes it to that next level,” Hickman said. “And I think you’ll continue to see us invest and grow here in Atlanta.”
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