Green workplaces: Taxfix
At Plantclub, we love nothing more than hearing feedback from happy members. We visited the Taxfix office on one of our regular plant care rounds — to chat with employees about their indoor jungle, and to photograph their space.
Taxfix is an app that helps people file their tax returns — with no expert knowledge needed. Over the past 4 years, they’ve empowered users to reclaim over 420€ million in tax refunds. Free from confusing jargon, their intuitive app makes the complicated business of tax submission accessible to anyone.
The team is already over 250 people strong, and is split between their Berlin HQ and a tech hub in Madrid. With office capacity currently limited — to keep employees safe during the corona pandemic — Taxfix has adopted flexible working practices, allowing people to choose whether to work from home or in the office.
Currently, they’re designing a new office space, where their HQ will relocate in 2021. For now, Taxfix’s Berlin office is located in the city center, close to Alexanderplatz. Taxfix chose the Jungle plan — one of our high density membership options — so we had a lot of greenery to play with.
Much of the office is divided into smaller team rooms, so we focused on desktop pots and placing plants on shelves in these areas — to avoid eating into the office footprint and obstructing walkways. This was balanced in more open communal spaces with large standing plants. In the corridors we installed a canopy of hanging plants, to add beautiful trailing greenery in high-footfall areas.
We wanted to know how Taxfix employees felt about their new office plants: “I’m a plant fanatic — I love to be surrounded by the fresh, green atmosphere they bring,” said Federica Fronterre, Senior Customer Success Manager. Daniel Schulte-Hillen, a Strategic Projects Manager at Taxfix, told us that being surrounded by plants isn’t only beneficial for his well-being, but “it inspires me to be more creative and innovative.”
Employee happiness is at the heart of Taxfix’s values. This has gained the company recognition as one of the top employers in Berlin — in 2019 they appeared on a LinkedIn list of the 25 most attractive startups in Germany. We’ve experienced this directly, and seen how they invest in their workforce. As Katrina Gnatek, Junior Employer Brand Manager, explained:
If your company cares about developing and supporting people, that’s reflected in the work environment. We’re currently building our new office… [and] trying to design a space that enables employees to have the experience that suits them best. Plants will certainly be part of that equation.
Employees of all Plantclub member companies have access to a dedicated online store, where they can order plants to furnish their home offices. With their Jungle membership, Taxfix employees further benefit from a 10% discount. This lets employees know that the company cares about their well-being — both within and beyond the office. If this sounds like somewhere you would want to work, then check out their careers page.
Rosa Li Dietl, the Taxfix Office Manager, gave us her opinion on working with Plantclub:
The customer service at Plantclub is excellent. Every exchange, from gardeners to founders, has been nothing but a pleasure… our office plants are happy and thriving, which is great because throwing away dead plants was never the best part of my job. Overall we have been delighted with every aspect of our partnership, which is why Plantclub is already involved in the planning for our new office.
Like the look of the Taxfix office? Then get in touch to see how Plantclub can help transform your space into an urban jungle.
Plantclub.io provides you and your colleagues with the benefits of plants, wherever you work. Rent office plants and transform your space into a green oasis, with flexible monthly membership options to suit your size. Diversify your employee perks with a dedicated company store, where you can give green gifts and your team can buy plants for their home office. Book a time to chat with us today.
Written by Lily Pollock | Photographed by Riccardo Contrino
