Progressive benefits
I’ve got a pretty Utopian view when it comes to the workplace so I’m always interested in what companies are doing to make the office environment more productive, conducive to creativity, more fun, and overall help preserve the separation between what we do to make a living and what we do with our families.
Netflix, the online DVD rental service has a policy of allowing employees to take as much vacation as they’d like. I’m fascinated by the idea that the conventions of the modern workplace need to be rethought and in fact, represent an antiquated system that makes workers less productive. Netflix seems to agree:
“The worst thing is for a manager to come in and tell me: `Let’s give Susie a huge raise because she’s always in the office.’ What do I care? I want managers to come to me and say: `Let’s give a really big raise to Sally because she’s getting a lot done’ – not because she’s chained to her desk.”
I could not agree more.