BlaBlaCar unveils its new Paris HQ and remote working policy

BlaBlaCar is moving into its new offices, in a modern and eco-responsible building built in the heart of Paris. A place for meetings and exchanges that is essential for its teams, at a time when the company is generalising the practice of teleworking.

Paris, 1st June 2022

More than an office, a social hub

The BlaBlaCar “Village”, located in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, is the new home for its 500 employees based in France. This new building, built by Studio Vincent Eschalier, 6e Sens Immobilier and UNOFI, was designed primarily as a social hub, combining shared work spaces and living spaces.

Distributed over 5 floors, the open space offices and meeting rooms are 100% flexible on the principle of “flex office” and can be booked according to the needs of the employees for an optimal use of the space. On the remaining 4 floors, relaxation, leisure and service areas offer a complete experience: 170-seat auditorium, BlaBlaCafé, fitness and yoga rooms, music studio, games area, bicycle garage, etc. A 500m² rooftop with a sports field and vegetable garden offers a 360° view of the roofs of Paris.

“The design of the new headquarters started in 2018, well before the crisis. We were fortunate to be involved in the project at a very early stage, so that it would meet the specific needs of our teams. We anticipated the change in use of the office, becoming a place of life and exchange, a key element of social cohesion.“

- Muriel Havas, Head of Facilities at BlaBlaCar

BlaBlaCar's new HQ in the heart of Paris — © Davide Leggio

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An eco-responsible building in the heart of Paris

As part of BlaBlaCar’s environmental approach, the building aims to be a model office building with responsible uses.

The materials chosen are sustainable: wood, metal, stone, very few plastics, etc. As of the construction site, more than 75% of the waste was recycled. The installation of certain equipment anticipates its future reuse for a second life. The construction complied with the most demanding energy and environmental criteria and was awarded the BREEAM International “Very Good” and Wiresdscore Silver environmental performance labels.

Its operation has also been designed to be environmentally friendly, from the lighting to the collection of rainwater, including the absence of detergents and the installation of connected zero waste fridges. The green garden and rooftop have been designed to enhance the development of biodiversity and improve the air quality of the neighbourhood. They also contribute to the insulation and thermal inertia of the top floors of the building.

“BlaBlaCar has incorporated responsibility, efficiency, well-being and common sense into the design of its headquarters.”

- DAMIEN BERTULI, MANAGING PARTNER OF 6E SENS IMMOBILIER

A new flexible and inclusive remote working policy

In parallel, BlaBlaCar is implementing a totally flexible remote working policy open to all employees, called “BlaBlaNomad”. It gives everyone the freedom to come to the office as often as they like, from several times a week to once a month, with a dedicated budget depending on their situation.

Far from being paradoxical, this hybrid model between office and remote working combines the advantages of each mode: remote working offers moments of individual productivity and a better balance between professional and personal life, while meeting in a federative place nourishes human exchanges and the feeling of belonging to a community.

The first results are conclusive: in France, 26% of the employees have chosen to move to full remote working and only come to the headquarters once a month. They have moved to 96 communes in all regions of France. The remaining 74% come every week, on average 2 to 3 days a week. Thus, 78% of the seats available at the headquarters are filled on average during the week.

“At a time when the workplace has been profoundly transformed by the crisis of the past two years, and BlaBlaCar has taken the decision to establish remote working as a long-term solution, the move to a new headquarters may seem surprising. On the contrary: this period has been a catalyst for changes in working methods, which BlaBlaCar has seized upon to create its own model. The building is designed to be a meeting place, where BlaBlaCar teams will find spaces to work together and strengthen the human link, so fundamental to their cohesion and performance. It is also an example of sustainable architecture, which echoes the mission of our company.”

- NICOLAS BRUSSON, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF BLABLACAR

In 2022, BlaBlaCar plans to recruit 200 people to continue its growth and the development of its shared mobility products.

All job opportunities are on blablacar.com/dreamjobs.

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