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Knit One, Hurl Two

Nov 16, 2010 » by Jody

I couldn’t have been more tickled pink to run across a blog on America’s Happiest Companies. What a profound notion that happy employees perform better. Yay, research!

I’d like to give a big ‘Knit One, Hurl Two’ to the forward-thinking companies listed in this blog. They are so forward-thinking that they’ve come up with new ways to infuse more ‘forced fun’ into the work environment. And forced fun is what every employee is looking for.

Adobe offers a knitting club! I don’t know about you, but it makes me so happy to see a company innovating in this way. Go knitting club! I’d choose being in a social club offered at my workplace over freedom any day.

And American Express?  Well, they encourage something that’s been around since the 1940’s. Flexible Work Schedules. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about. Innovate!

And go Google. Free snacks and Ping Pong tables? Rock on! That way when I’m displaying presenteeism because I don’t want to work or have no idea what I’m supposed to be accomplishing, I can at least do something that is company approved. And, put in my time at the same time.

Hey IBM, have you heard of Facebook? Oh, probably not, since you went and created a way for your employees to meet each other in order to increase their overall happiness. I know when Gen Y comes crashing into your workplace they’re going to dump all the social tools they already use and jump onboard. I wonder how much you spent on that visionary idea.

KPMG – another forward-thinking and way innovative company offering . . . drumroll please . . . FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULES! What are those? Never hear of ‘em. Must be some new whacked-out program.

It’s too bad that companies are still hiding behind glitzy buildings with on-site amenities, flexibility programs and knitting clubs when what people really want are their lives back.

It’s time to start giving kudos to companies that focus on results and give their people complete control to manage their own time. It’s time to stop holding companies in high esteem who are re-packaging the same old crap and making us feel guilty if we don’t embrace it.

Knit One, HURL Two anyone?

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  • lily

    Giving a hurl of solidarity for those who are knitting, playing tic-tac-toe, and having ping-pong tournaments in captivity, as well as those who are asking permission to be flexible. Long live freedom! Go ROWE! !Que viva la revolución!

    • Cali

      Lily – if you need a hurl bucket, we have a few that aren’t full yet.

  • CC

    I am with you on this one Jody. My favorite “forced fun” activity is our annual holiday party. No significant others are invited, and we are forced to spend the evening at our boss’ house and spend even more time with each other. This means we end up talking about work, because we have nothing else in common. Fun times!:)

    • Cali

      Yes, CC – this is just awful, isn’t it? Someone I know (who will go unnamed, but you know who you are!) opted not go to the boss’ summer barbecue because it was going to be a complete nightmare, and he was called into the boss’ office for a “chat”. And then after being put through the intimidation wringer, he decided he’d better go…now that’s what I call a fun, teambuilding event that shows appreciation!

      Every time you’re faced with one of these, know that we’re on the other side trying to get organizations to understand that they don’t need to force the fun…the fun will happen if people want it.

      • CC

        Thanks Cali! And I will keep doing my part letting other CEOs know about ROWE and attempting to move my organization into this century:)

      • KellyK

        Wow. That’s just insane. I think a lot of companies have a culture that’s so based on control and rules that they don’t know any other way to try to make things happen, even in areas where that makes no sense and is counterproductive. You see the same thing with wellness programs as with forced fun, where people are pressured into participating.

        You WILL have fun. You WILL be healthy. The beatings will continue until morale improves…

      • Cali

        Kelly – you are so right! We’ve seen this with walking programs in organizations. Everyone gets their pedometer because that seems to be the “in” thing to do…they use it for a month and then it gathers dust in their cube for the next two years. Absolutely nothing changed in anyone’s belief system about being healthy, exercise, or wanting to change habits. It was an ‘in the moment’ thing that never ends up sustaining. Boo.

  • http://Www.leadhership1.com Susan Davis-Ali

    Love when you help us laugh Cali and Jodi. You are right on with your mockery!

    • Cali

      For so long, we’ve said these things to each other, and now we’re just going to say them out loud for all of you to hear!

      • PersephoneK

        I LOVE that about you guys! I sincerely do. Keep it coming out loud!

      • Cali

        Have no fear, Persephone – now that we’ve started sharing our thoughts “out loud”, we can’t stop! We had some banter with each other today where we said “We’ve GOT to get that on the blog!” Sneak peek: Why do organizations always say “But we’re relationship-oriented” or “But we’re customer-focused” as if no one else in the world is??

  • Pingback: Graham King » Quote: We want Freedom, not Ping-Pong tables

  • Persephone K

    Cali, Can’t wait to hear the rest of the next blog. You and your teasing! How about one from my life at the moment: “We do not micromanage or care about your hours… except for the first 3 months of your employment where everything must be tracked, itemized, approved, copied to, etc your manager?! And please don’t see that as a sign of lack of trust.” Yes, that is whiplash you heard. :)

    • KellyK

      Oh, my. “Don’t take this as a sign of a lack of trust” indeed. What are you supposed to take it as a sign of?

      • PersephoneK

        My question exactly!

  • John

    It doesn’t surprise me that most organisations have out-dated work philosophies ingrained deep within their culture. It doesn’t surprise me that most organisations are unable to think outside the confines of their self imposed limitations. It doesn’t surprise me that organisations who’ve never heard of ROWE miss the mark by such a long way when trying to target engagement and productivity. What I simply can’t get my head around though is how organisations who have heard about ROWE don’t jump all over it? It’s like CultureRx have found a lifelong cure for the common cold but doctors are still sending patients home to do a steam bath! And not just any old doctors either but the Google, IBM and KPMG doctors of the world. WAKE UP EVERYONE!! The employee-engaging, talent-attracting, productivity-enhancing, talent-retaining, absenteeism-reducing, cost-saving, revenue-generating, turn-your-company-into-the-most-kick-ass-company-ever SILVER BULLET is right under your nose!!!!….

    … and breath

    • Cali

      You took the words right out of our mouths, John. This is a head-banger every single day. But this is also why the organizations that go ROWE now will be so much further ahead of organizations that wait. Those that wait will be falling behind in all the categories you mention – engagement, retention, productivity, costs, customer satisfaction and retention, etc. And we all know how hard it is to get back in the game once you’re out…

      It all goes back to this: It’s not if organizations will be going ROWE, it’s when. And although it might be frustrating because everyone doesn’t see the benefits yet, the ones that move now are the ones with pioneering, forward-thinking, courageous leaders. And they’re out there :)

    • lily

      Well said, John!

  • https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/mydeveloperworks/blogs/InsideSystemStorage/ Tony Pearson

    Yo Jody,
    IBM has certainly heard of Facebook, with over 45,000 employees on Facebook! Yes, we have other internal-only tools as well to stay in touch with each other, but are not opposed to using public services as well.

    Tony Pearson (IBM)

    • Cali

      Hey Tony – this is great to hear. Glad IBM is open to using public services as well. Can we safely assume that IBM doesn’t block social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc.? Please say yes so we can give a bit of a cheer!

  • Matt

    I absolutely love the photo for Adobe. I can almost imagine the guy saying to himself, “I would LOVE to walk out this door, but there are too many good things here. Why would I EVER want to leave the office? I think I’ll change my mailing address to here. My wife can come and visit me when she wants.”

    In the past, I felt such things such as an on-site gym were a boon to associates as it would save time. Now that I have ROWE ingrained in my brain, I realize that as a shareholder of my company, that is a waste of money. Give us the freedom to go to the gym – or our knitting clubs or to lunch – when it makes sense and not make us feel guilty about it.

    • Cali

      Exactly. It’s funny because before ROWE, a lot of people don’t see this and continue trying to make the strong case for on-site gyms, banking, dry cleaning, knitting clubs, etc. And then freedom trumps it all – and the outlook totally changes.

      I used to be involved in conversations about bringing Weight Watchers into the workplace. We spent countless meetings discussing how we would help employees overcome their feelings about being part of a Weight Watchers group on-site when they were with co-workers they saw every day. How about giving them the freedom to go to meetings whenever they want – wherever they want? If they don’t want to be with co-workers, they don’t have to be! This was in the days before ROWE, obviously, but you have to wonder how many workplaces are spending time and money bringing these types of things in…when all people want is to make their own decisions about how they live their lives.

      And as you say, Matt, for some reason, it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility that workplaces would say “Save yourself a trip home to see the family – just have them come here, lounge on our couches, and eat the food we’ve stocked in the refigerators!” Oh my.