Hearken back to the corporate world of the 80's. It was all pin-striped suits, buttoned-down collars and shiny mahogany desks. But all too many businesses discovered all too quickly that the shine was just a thin patina. All the polish in the world did nothing to save bottom lines that just got duller and dingier all the time.
Fast forward to today.
"When you look at the 80's, you see that there was all this economic excess. People were driven by monetary gain. Then, when we want into the slump, people began to look at priorities; at what really drives success. And do you know what? It's really personal satisfaction. People who have happy and supportive lives--both at home and at work are more productive. In the 80's everyone expected you to sacrifice your personal live your families for your work. Now it's frowned upon if you do sacrifice a personal and family life." comments Carol Vallone, president and CEO of Universal Learning Technology (ULT) in Peabody.
The company, which builds Web-based and interactive training and learning applications, is one of many in the area and industry working to build a culture that is fun, flexible and people-centered. For example . . .
That ability to work as a team can be critical, she notes, when the crunch is on--a nearly permanent condition in fast-growing technology companies like ULT. Founded in 1996, the private, venture-backed company counted five employees last fall. It now has 30 and Vallone expects to hit the 100 mark in a few months. But, rather than inducing her to pull in the corporate reins, the growth-related pressure has prompted her to insist that employees take time out every day to recharge. Of course, there is one hard and fast company rule.
"I always say, don't ever miss one of your kids' important events. That's something you might really regret and that's sure to impact on your work life. I'm very big on parents being present for their children," she says.
And it not just employees' children that fall under Vallone's protective gaze. It's vital, she says, that spouses "understand and tolerate" the oft enormous demands of the super-charged marketplace. Toward that end, the company produces and distributes a family newsletter to inform the folks at home about corporate goings-on.
"We ask a lot of our people and of their families. If we're asking someone to get on a plane on a Sunday night, it really helps if a spouse understands why," she says. In keeping with Vallone's casual management style, every day is casual dress day and the ULT space is designed to allow room for individual expression.
"People in high tech often make use of their offices as inventive environments, sometimes working 12 or 15 hours a day. At the height of a project, they may be virtually living at work. So they need the freedom to set up their own environments. That can be hard for a designer when you're shooting for a clean, crisp look, but you have to build in the room for that individuality," comments Ed Halsted of the Halsted Design Group in Manchester. Halsted created the design for the ULT space.
Vallone says she likes to show her appreciation to employees who are putting in these kinds of mind-numbing hours. Sometimes she does that with traditional means; restaurant gift certificates, for example. But then there's the non-traditional approach.
"We were at a conference and my sales manager had been going non-stop. So I sent a massage therapist up to his room to help him relax," Vallone recalls.
At the Cambridge-based Web design firm TVisions, relaxation is serious business; a component of corporate identity, really. Like ULT the five-year-old firm--which started with two employees and now houses 115-is growing exponentially.
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"As engineers, we wanted to face the challenges of new technologies and to solve problems that might help a lot of people. As we've grown, that attitude has remained part of us. We want to give people the opportunity to work on interesting projects. And the extracurricular stuff is the same; we want to give people opportunities that are fun and exciting," says Tom Little, company co-founder and executive vice president.
So, on any given lunch hour, you may find ballroom dancers twirling about, musicians tuning up their instruments or cardplayers in an ongoing Hearts tournament poring over their hands. Little says that the card tournament--currently in its eighth week-shows the important role a fun group activity can play in the larger scheme of things.
"People get a chance to know one another outside of their usual work situations. So they're working together they feel more connected, more like a team" he adds.
Outside the workplace, TVisions employees get together for softball and soccer game and rock-climbing expeditions. And once a year, the company foots the bill for an employee/family getaway. It is money well-spent, says Little.
"Thanks to a highly selective recruiting process, we have very talented people with whom we want to build long-term relationships. Our goal is to provide a rich environment and try to nurture or employees' skills all along the way," he says.
And if you're talking growth, Lycos--the Waltham-based Web chieftain--stands near the top of the heap. The company now employs 430, with another 780 comprising acquired companies. But a "start-up mentality" still pervades the workplace, says Gretchen McAuliffe, director of human resources.
"In the beginning, it was almost familial. We've always had an extremely casual atmosphere. That helps when you're working really hard," she says.
But, when the workday is over, Lycos folks don't have to drive to their local health clubs to work off all that stress. There's a gym on-site. Or, if group activities are more their thing, they can sign up for lunch-hour Tae Kwon Do or kick-boxing lessons.
"Of course we've always had Ping-Pong and foot-ball tables in the cafeteria. They get lot of use," McAuliffe says.
And for the ultimate, tangible expression of the non-traditional Lycos culture, employees can have their cars "Lycos-ized" to sport the Lycos logo. That might mean either a complete paint job or simply a few strategically-placed magnets, McAuliffe explains.
The road signs are clear; corporate culture is driving clear out of up-tight, traditional territory. The road ahead is designed to give hard-working employees a smooth, satisfying and--above all--balanced ride.
"Think about it. Have you ever heard an older person say, 'I wish I'd spent more time at work'? I haven't," concludes ULT's Vallone. |
