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Por rollos profesionales, de un par de meses para acá, he estado poniendo más atención en artículos/posts que traten acerca del clima laboral y cómo lograr un mejor ambiente de trabajo. Hoy encontré un post en el blog de Schaefer que me llamó mucho la atención.

Muchos de nosotros pasamos más tiempo en nuestra chamba que en nuestra casa. Es una realidad que, buena o mala, es. ¿Pero es nuestro trabajo un «segundo hogar», o simplemente es el espacio en donde pasamos más tiempo que en nuestro verdadero hogar? Y si es un lugar X (o, peor aún, un lugar que odias), ¿cómo hacer que ese lugar se convierta en un espacio ameno, creativo, productivo y cómodo?

Creating a place where someone feels at home requires:

1. Trust – an organization lacking the trust of its employees and/or customers is much like a machine without oil, it will continue to operate, but each movement requires more work than the one before…and in the end it will self-destruct. Trust is the greatest of social lubricants, allowing us to focus on the outcome more than grinding through the process.
2. Joy – do people smile in your organization? Do they laugh? Is it FUN? One of the quickest ways to judge whether or not your organization is inspiring joy is to observe how often you hear side-splitting laughter. Joy is a healthy part of every family environment.
3. Consistency – one thing about family is you always know what to expect. Sure there are surprises every now and then, but in the end it’s a lot like Thanksgiving. Uncle Joe will make an awkward toast, Cousin Cindy will make the same candied yams she has for the past 15 years and someone will be in the corner recliner snoring before the dessert has even been passed out. We love it because it’s uniquely ours and it’s consistent.
4. Love – simple, not easy. Love is living for someone else’s good. Without love there is no home. Without love an organization is simply going through the motions and has no chance of inspiring passion, courage, or dedication.

Para una organización o institución es tremendamente complicado que algo así se dé. No sé si en algún momento se dio un cambio de paradigma, pero conozco a muchísimas personas (yo, entre ellas) que ve en su trabajo (y en sus horas de trabajo) algo mucho más allá que la realización de una tarea diaria. Ven un lugar de realización personal y profesional, de retos que por el mero hecho de serlos, resulta divertido resolverlos.

No sé si sea exceso de ingenuidad -o juventud- pero me gusta pensar que la oficina es tan parte de tu vida como tu casa o la casa de tus cuates. Y, por lo visto, no soy el único. Google también piensa lo mismo:

Check out the Top 10 Reasons to Work at Google taken straight from their website and notice how many times you see the traits of a home I mentioned above:

1. Lend a helping hand. With millions of visitors every month, Google has become an essential part of everyday life – like a good friend – connecting people with the information they need to live great lives.
2. Life is beautiful. Being a part of something that matters and working on products in which you can believe is remarkably fulfilling.
3. Appreciation is the best motivation, so we’ve created a fun and inspiring workspace you’ll be glad to be a part of, including on-site doctor and dentist; massage and yoga; professional development opportunities; on-site day care; shoreline running trails; and plenty of snacks to get you through the day.
4. Work and play are not mutually exclusive. It is possible to code and pass the puck at the same time.
5. We love our employees, and we want them to know it. Google offers a variety of benefits, including a choice of medical programs, company-matched 401(k), stock options, maternity and paternity leave, and much more.
6. Innovation is our bloodline. Even the best technology can be improved. We see endless opportunity to create even more relevant, more useful, and faster products for our users. Google is the technology leader in organizing the world’s information.
7. Good company everywhere you look. Googlers range from former neurosurgeons, CEOs, and U.S. puzzle champions to alligator wrestlers and former-Marines. No matter what their backgrounds Googlers make for interesting cube mates.
8. Uniting the world, one user at a time. People in every country and every language use our products. As such we think, act, and work globally – just our little contribution to making the world a better place.
9. Boldly go where no one has gone before. There are hundreds of challenges yet to solve. Your creative ideas matter here and are worth exploring. You’ll have the opportunity to develop innovative new products that millions of people will find useful.
10. There is such a thing as a free lunch after all. In fact we have them every day: healthy, yummy, and made with love.

No dudaría que hacer del trabajo un apéndice del hogar sea benéfico para todos: patrón, empleados y las familias de los empleados. El problema consiste en hacerlo de verdad.