3 Cheers to 37signals
March 16th, 2008 by Cali & Jody
We’d like to offer three cheers to 37signals, a web-based applications company that is thinking about work in the right ways. Here’s our take:
First, the shorter work week acknowledges the realities of the 24/7, global economy. It’s not about how many hours you put in, but how productive and engaged you are when you’re working.
Second, by funding people’s passions, they are tapping into the new currency of the working world. Money and titles don’t matter to people like they used to. Personal development, like time, is a powerful reward.
Third, giving people discretionary spending accounts gives them control. In our high-demand world, control (and trust) is perhaps the greatest gift you can give people.
You could dismiss this as “nice for them, but it would never work at my company” or say that you can only get away with these kinds of policies at a “creative” or a “young” company, but we think that would be missing the larger point. Like a Results-Only Work Environment, the workplace that 37signals is creating is based on basic, universal truths. Every adult will respond to trust, to control, to freedom. And, the ones who can’t probably shouldn’t be there for other reasons.
Thanks for your kind words! Much appreciated. So far the experiments are going well. We haven’t felt anything slip, the work is getting done, people are enjoying Fridays off, and Mondays aren’t as annoying as they used to be.
…off to check out your book!