Picture the scene: you start your day with a double espresso, chatting with coworkers and catching up on emails at your hybrid sitting-standing desk. Afterward, you retreat to the library for some much-needed focus time. You prop your feet up and sink into a deep, cozy armchair.
After lunch, you spend the afternoon working in your favorite nook of the “treehouse,” soaking up the sun and views of the city. In the late afternoon, you pop into a meditation room for a moment of Zen before your next meeting in a spacious conference room.
It might sound like corporate fantasy, but it’s just another normal day at the new LendingTree headquarters, recently named Charlotte’s “Top Space Buildout Project” by the Charlotte Business Journal.
The LendingTree headquarters in South End began welcoming employees to their brand-new space last year. Here are a few of the unique features employees can’t stop talking about.
The Social Centers
Every floor in the LendingTree building has a Social Center, which includes a kitchen and bar area. Everything in the headquarters is designed to mimic the feeling of home, so the color palettes are warm and inviting, and remind you more of something you’d see in a stylish friend’s home than in a typical workplace. The details of every kitchen and bar space are unique, from the backsplash tiles to the granite countertops. (Plus, there’s beer on tap on three of the floors – cheers!)
The Libraries
“When we surveyed employees, they really wanted dedicated, heads-down workspace,” says Kelsey Tennyson, Special Projects Associate of Human Resources and Facilities. “We dedicated four libraries for this. One even has a ‘fire’ place!”
But the libraries aren’t the only place employees can get away for some quiet time in the new building. Chris Woodfolk, Corporate Citizen Partner at LendingTree, says that the study carrels (aka “the hideout chairs”) in the 7th-floor collaboration area are his favorite part of the new building. “These seats allow me to recharge and focus,” Woodfolk says. “As someone who wants to come into the office most days during the week, having a flexible work environment helps maximize my productivity and improves my mental health.”
Town Hall
Company-wide meetings will never be the same for LendingTree with a huge, high-tech town hall space. “I think something I will remember for the rest of my life is the day we brought our first group of vaccinated employees in,” says Kelsey Tennyson.
“I was the first in the office that day and just walked in and sat in Town Hall and soaked in the last few moments of it just being this empty space, knowing it would never be that empty again. Seeing our employees breathe life into the space has been the best thing.”
The Outdoor Spaces
There are great outdoor spaces for working or relaxing throughout the new headquarters, but the 11th-floor rooftop patio has already become a favorite.
“Quite a few employees have commented on how great the patio is,” says Robin Bellefuil, VP of Real Estate and Facilities. “We’ve hosted a few social events and it’s a great space to relax and hang with coworkers.”
The Conference Rooms
Every conference room in the new headquarters is high-tech, spacious and squeaky clean. So squeaky clean, in fact, that John Iafrate, Senior Director of Creative, once saw an employee try to walk through a glass door.
“During a meeting in progress, one employee was walking by and noticed an employee they hadn’t seen in a while. She wanted to say hello, so she eagerly walked to the conference room entrance, but was greeted by the closed glass door! All of us in the meeting didn’t know if we should laugh or help, so we did both.”
(Update: the employee was uninjured and suffered only a minor ego bruise.)
The Art and Signage
The new building features work from local artists that are totally custom and unique to the space, including murals, 3-D installations and intricate signage.
“The signage and branding were all produced by the in-house agency, which really helps add a personal touch to the space,” says John Iafrate, “Yes, the office design and furnishings are amazing, but the branding and signage capture the culture and make it uniquely LendingTree.”
Interested in making the new LendingTree headquarters your home away from home? Explore career openings to see if there’s a role that’s right for you.
