Fast Company had an interesting article recently entitled What Kind of Dad Are You?. It is a good article as far as it goes, but I confess I dream of something more. Part of my motivation for NewI\O is that I dream of a new kind of corporation.
Currently we segregate out lives: professional, family, social, etc. I picture a corporation that does not view employees as resources, but as people, with all that entails. Companies have what are called campuses like colleges do, but they are still pretty much just workplaces. I picture a community where people live, work, and socialize all at the same place.
Picture a corporate campus that actually had housing like a college campus does. Where you could walk to work instead of fight 2 hours of traffic. On this campus there would be things like a charter school and daycare so you could eat lunch every day with your children. You would not have to ask your company for time off to pick up your kids, because it would all be part of the same company. The corporate cafeteria would be available to the entire family all of the time. There would be nice relaxing parks for the adults and playgrounds for the kids. Even apprenticeships for older kids. Free health care site on campus.
All of that corporate space is wasted at night. Why not use it for social activities? Movie night every night. Clubs for various interest groups. How about a nice gym on site? You would not really need a car, but there were be a corporate car pool that you could use to check out a car when you needed one to run errands out in town.
Everything would be wired with high speed and wireless network connections. You could easily work from anywhere on campus. Less money would have to be spent on useless office space.
I am thinking that if you provided everything for people they would not need to be paid very much. This might lead to tax advantages. By compensating employees with benefits and services instead of pay, less money in taxes might go to the government leaving more of it to be spent on providing better compensation and services.
I am thinking that a corporate culture that actually enhanced your personal and family life instead of competing with it would have a huge competitive advantage over a more traditional company in hiring the best and brightest. I do hope that I will be in a position to find out for sure someday.
8 comments:
damn Chris, that is inspiring!! I would join that kind of company in a New York minute, even though I hate NY!! Awesome thoughts dude!
Sounds like Utopia - I'd definitely move to Texas. LOL!
I see no reason why it could not be done. No doubt there would be many issues to be worked out, but I think it would be a worthwhile attempt.
In Mexico we saw on-site employee housing. Everyone got a 10by10 hut. Then they could run around in the concrete yard within the fence. Or they could go to work in the factory.
I think your version is better than Mexico's.
"I am thinking that a corporate culture that actually enhanced your personal and family life instead of competing with it."
You're kidding, right? Dreams of a utopian existence...aaaaaaah.
In China Wal-Mart houses their employees. I saw it in that "High Cost of Low Prices" documentary. Talk about feeling ashamed of where I work.
"You're kidding, right? Dreams of a utopian existence."
I do not dream of existing corporations changing. I was thinking more if I were in a position to create a corporation what kind of corporation could I, would I create.
I mean what if the owner instead of keeping the billions for himself used the money to create a really great place for everyone? What is possible?
It's OK DB: He's been smokin the "silly putty" again.
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