Friday, September 02, 2011

Headquarters Design

You have been given the power to pick any of the following for your organization's new corporate headquarters. Assume that money is no barrier. Which of these, if any, would you select?


  • Jogging path

  • Stress reduction room with quiet pods that shut out noise

  • Stress reduction room with punching bags

  • Zen garden with benches

  • Gym

  • Racquetball courts

  • Cafeteria

  • In-house masseuse

  • Library

  • Coffee shop

  • None

  • Other?

4 comments:

John said...

I didn't think of it til I saw this, but most of these perquisites would be frowned upon in places where staying on the job is almost an article of faith. Years ago I read about how Japanese workers often have their bento boxes delivered to their work place in order to eat quickly and return to work. And the dabbawallas in India do something very similar, in that case because the traffic is so dense it takes too much time to go out.

But the wonderful tradition of a siesta after the noon meal is really appealing, especially for tropical climates.

Then there is the Chinese model where you live, sleep, eat and work all in the same place, going to see your family maybe once a year. But I also saw a picture of one of those places with nets put up at street level to catch people who might be attempting suicide.

There is a word in Mandarin that means literally "death from too much work."

Hmm...

Lots to think about.
If I were the boss and money was no object, I go for whatever can fit the facility and grounds, including everything. After all, it's the corporate culture that ultimately makes or breaks morale and productivity.

Anonymous said...

This sleep deprived worker wants the nap room.

John said...

Telling comment.

I bet a lot of America's still-employed workers are in the same fix, working their butts off lest they join that vast population of unemployed workers, perhaps the biggest untapped population of human resources on the planet.

I noticed years ago how much more productive my staff became in a crisis. From the absence of a few key workers to a weather disaster or a fire in the kitchen, the teamwork was incredible. But I realized that in the same way that marathon runners cannot keep up the same pace for an entire race, so, too, must all of us, whether working or playing hard, pace ourselves for the long haul.

I'll be watching, if and when a "recovery" returns, for signs that those have been busting their asses will be breathing a collective sigh of relief.

twistedByKnaves said...

I think I'd start with the working environment: provide a mix of team space, individual workstations and plenty of meeting rooms.(After all, that's why we're investing an hour or two in the daily commute, right? To meet people?) with good quality, binaural headphones.

And perhaps pictures of the working conditions of the frontline staff we are paid to support.