One of the things I noticed about Danica and loved right away is their office culture. Part of practicum is not just learning about the design work but learning what it’s like to work in a professional environment. Working in a small or large office you have a lot of people who need to share a space and rely on each other to complete their work. Danica has been intentional about creating a pleasant and fun atmosphere for people to thrive in.

One way they do this is by having dogs in the office. This makes it easier for the Danica employees that own dogs so they don’t have to find someone to watch them but it is also great for everyone as they lighten the mood and add playfulness in the office. Reminding us to take breaks and get out of our chairs to give belly rubs and throw balls.

Another great thing they do is office workouts. Jonny, a personal trainer come and leads bootcamp outside twice a week. It’s pretty dificult but really fun to do with everyone, it’s a great bonding exercise as we all struggle and train together. Also just really nice not to have to worry about scheduling other workouts. There is also a fun committee in office that plans events for birthdays and holidays. One event I experienced was a spa day in office. Each of us had the option of a manicure or a massage. When I was asked which I wanted my response was “that is the nicest thing anyone has ever asked me at work.” I got a wonderful massage at work.

Beyond the fun perks there’s also a genuine feeling of community and support. The office culture is my favourite thing about working at Danica.