Response to Megan Barnabe’s post.
In listening to Dan Ariely’s TedTalk and reading Megan Barnabe’s response, I was intrigued to learn more about the changing values of society and what that means for the way businesses are run. Job satisfaction has become a priority in the workplace over the past decade or so. In fact, taking pride in one’s work may even be a stronger motivational factor than money itself. This is an extremely important concept because the operations of a workplace must be able to adapt in order to grow and continue to bring success.
As we studied in class with Zappos, an online shoe retailer, their success comes from strong human resource management. Although their employees are being paid less than their counterparts in other companies, the workplace environment offered at the Zappos headquarters in Nevada is positive, fun and engaging. Employees are also offered qualitative benefits such as flexible hours, and daycare and dental benefits. All these factors combined, Zappos provides proper motivation for its workers –one that is more important than money.
Over the next few years, it will be interesting to see how businesses change their organizational structures to address this shift in values of workers today.
Sources:
https://blogs.ubc.ca/meganbarnabe/2013/11/13/motivation/
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_what_makes_us_feel_good_about_our_work.html
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/14/090914fa_fact_jacobs
Picture: Zappo’s fun working environment in their headquarters