I mentioned in a quick tweet today a business culture idea that I’ve always wanted to implement and I’ve decided to expand and share a few more that I want to execute on in the very near future.
To give some context, I’ve worked my entire life in a “corporate culture” with some of the biggest businesses on the planet. The culture was so-so but not so fun. I haven’t worked for Google or any of those other creative enterprises (and I’ve definitely envied them from afar) but I have some personal ideas that I’ve always wanted to do.
It’s also always dumbfounded me why I put up with crappy business culture! Why do we (most of us) put up with poor working conditions and stupid work environments? How ridiculous are we? Are we truly gluttons for pain?
Anyways, I want to change some of that. So, here are a few of my original (and unoriginal) ideas for a better business culture:
1. Food
Catered and free meals every single day. A number of businesses do this and the relative benefits have been well documented.
I think a neat activity would be to poll the team daily (or if we we’re exceptionally busy I’d just make an executive decision) and see what we wanted to eat.
2. Health
Every business I’ve been a part of has this as a “value add” of working there but I want to be serious about health in my organization. Paying for gym memberships is the easy way out. I want to do much more and have team activities and accountability.
3. Entertainment
It will be a rule that if we don’t do something entertaining at least once a day then we’ve failed as an organization. I think watching movies (or going to see them at the theater) once a week is required.
Playing video games and other such table-top activities will be made available.
4. Rest
Offering sound-proof sleeping arrangements for rest and daily naps would be also neat. Feng Shui that junk to the max.
Quiet music to play in the background, if desired, would be available.
5. Comfort
We’d spend the money required to have comfortable chairs, ergonomic desks, and bean bags (where appropriate). The environment and culture has to be relaxed because we’re already doing some serious business.
6. No “Budgets”
This practice has been played out by a few companies but essentially it’s providing and trusting each employee to spend wisely on purchases, but there wouldn’t be a “budget” for their needs.
If you need it and if it added value to your work and generated more productivity then go ahead and buy it.
7. Work Hours
No clocking in or clocking out. You come and go as you please and you work whenever. If you are working too much then we’ll punch you and tell you to stop working too much and go home.
I trust that my team and my staff are intelligent enough to time manage their projects and their needs.
8. Meetings
Meetings suck. Unless the sky is falling we wouldn’t have any. Period.
9. Family
Family truly first. A lot of companies say this but they don’t believe it nor practice it. Deadlines and product launches, honestly, are pretty self-inflicted and artificial, especially in the online economy. Those can wait. Your daughter’s broken arm? No so much.
10. Fun
I’ve always said that if we aren’t having fun then we’re really wasting our time. Serious business can be serious fun in the right context and culture, and I want to build one that is just that.
How about you? What have you dreamed about?
Oh, and by the way, I think that I’m on my way to creating this type of business as well. Just watch us because we’re going to do it.
**BONUS**
I almost completely forgot about this one, but thanks to a commenter I remembered an obvious one:
11. Free Time
You have unlimited amount of free time to pursue any other projects and activities outside of the work you do for the team.
Any.
The way I see it is two-fold: As long as you meet your deadlines you’re good with us. Secondly, my hope is that the work and culture is so awesome that you’ll want to spend a lot of your time on projects related to the core business. If not, then I’m failing as a product engineer, leader, and visioncaster.
My fault, not theirs.
I’m glad I’m on your side
Seconded
Something that has always put a smile on my place is when businesses actively let employees work on fun/personal projects.
There are a countless benefits to allowing employees their own “personal” time at work. Tumblr, Twitter, and a lot of Google’s technology were all created by employees who thought up the original idea(s) during “personal” time!
OMG YES.
I totally forgot that one. I will add it! I had meant to put that one down.
added it. thank you!
mine’s a bit different though.
this doesn’t sound like work at all, it sounds like the greatest place on the earth.
I like everything you have to say about doing business “better”, but it’s hard for most people to even make it.
I think people would have to be willing to get paid less, and it’s sadly something most people aren’t willing to do…regardless of the benefits. If you’re trying this out, I’d love to see a follow up about how it worked and how you made it possible.
I love reading the Church “blank” sites. You guys keep it fresh!
chase,
it’s pretty neat actually… we’re having tons of time and making money AND serving the church. it’s a fascinating concept, one that we’re going to be sharing much more about soon.
you don’t have to make less… but you have to figure out how.
Hello Boss. What have you got for me?
hehe. fun.
So when are you hiring?
Actually, I now work for a website and SEO company, and we have implemented some of these things with the intent to add other “benefits”.
I like to think differently like this, throw out old corporate business practices and rethink some things.
agreed!
This post makes me want to lean back in my chair (if my chair actually leaned back) and loosen my tie.(yeah, we still wear those here)
Oh, gotta go…boss is coming!!
tie? what’s that?
Are you hiring?
perhaps……..
I’ve always been a fan of the idea behind the personal project time. I can’t work on the same stuff 8 hours straight without going nuts. I need a release valve. I think I’m more productive when I can take breaks.
And that list is great. I might have to steal some of those if I lead a company.
go for it. steal away!
Amazing points…I really need to implement them into my business plan…and then nap and watch a movie.
nap….. zzzzzzzz
Are you hiring? haha
always.
None of this stuff would fly where this poor soul (currently) works:
http://chuckbauer.wordpress.com/
However, I am all for these ideas. Zappos has employed many of them and that turned out well.
Oh and let me add that I’d work for you anyway, but this would just make it that much easier.
you’ll hang with us in october…
Thanks for just asking straight out: What have you dreamed about?
I have things in my head, but I’ve never taken the time to collect & organize them like this. Thanks!
This sounds like a great working environment. These benefits will bring you plenty of applications for any open position. How will you decide who to hire? (Was just curious if the interview process would be unique like the job.)
Now, off to make sense of the things of my dreams.
jen, i love this. i’ve been thinking about this as well and i’ll probably blog about the “hiring” process. i’ve noted it here though as well, but i’ll get more specific: http://churchcrunch.com/how-to-get-a-job-at-the-8bit-network/
Ok, so I want to come work for your new company. Hook me up.
I’m hearing more and more about the importance of company/corporate culture. Speaking from experience, culture makes or breaks the spirit of employees.
I’d like to put my application in when this one starts up
I would love to not HAVE to wear a suit every day. I’d gladly work for/with you in that kind of environment.
I said it once and I’ll say it again. Foodcarts are the road to happiness (when catering at work). I’m ready to work for your company (just don’t tell my boss).
I’m really starting to wish I knew how to do what y’all do. It sounds fun to work anywhere that caters food for you for free and that has a policy of taking you out to see movies.
I’m usually fearful of workplaces with a lot of what you mentioned: sleeping arrangements, cool office, lots of free time, entertainment in office, etc. These places want you to be in the office and feel comfortable there because you’re going to be there long nights often.
I like how you mentioned family and work hours. It IS the most important thing.
I agree with all of that completely except #8. While meetings aren’t “fun” they can be and they are a valuable part to a team environment that help people meet the objectives and can be like gasoline on a fire of ideas. And anyone that has thrown gas on a fire knows the result, only this fire is one you want to be close to.
Some ideas for good meetings:
Large meetings feel more like a short conference of boring. Over all I’m a fan of small group meetings, 10 people or less, an outside environment with a BBQ grill in the summer time is great. Winter is a little more difficult to get creative juice flowing but I find small coffee shops, not Starbucks, can have a good atmosphere to roll out what needs to be done. All in all the end result is to take an idea and make it better and keep a team on the same page. But make it fun, finish off with a game of ultimate Frisbee, kayaking trip, stop at the movies, Wii sports or something. Always end on a good note, if you end a meeting on a bad note then anything productive and good achieved will have been a complete waste as people will always remember and talk about the bad.
agreed. some meetings can be very good. no doubt about that. i think most, though, are terrible.
Servant leadership, flatten the hierarchy, have the courage to trust first and to hold accountable if needed, value all team members. It really is about who you are and what you do rather than how you dress or what visibility you have through your attendance at meetings. Some meetings, though, are good, just keep them as short as possible. I would say a large, open space, in-direct lighting, natural surfaces, polished concrete floor, rolling work stations for ad-hoc teams and projects, a group blog for all to post about whatever they are working on or thinking about. Deming’s quality point #8: “Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company”. Minimize stress, promote creativity, innovate!
Sounds great! I only *slightly* disagree with the budgets portion – but it has more to do with edge cases. Specifically, I imagine the scene(s) from Office Space about “flair”, except the other way around — “we’ll let you know if you spend too much”.
But, as you said, if purchasing decisions were based on ‘adding value’, I think the culture around that probably has a conversation and mutual agreement happening before any major purchases anyway, so I’m definitely just over-thinking that one.
This was made a bit more interesting because I had just finished reading an interview with Jeff Butterworth of Alien Skin Software [http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2536-bootstrapped-profitable-proud-alien-skin-software] over at 37signals. It talked a bit about their culture, and keeping everyone happy – not just customers.
Thanks for posting!
Wow. that’s an ambitious list. I’d work there.
Wow! That is exactly what I plan to do:) I agree that this is the most creative and productive environment, however it takes a lot of time to make it happen like that… So… patience!Patience is most important:)