Good Work Issue #6
Stripe's cultural honesty, explaining pleasanteeism, five steps to define your values and more.
Hello,
A very warm welcome to the sixth issue of Good Work.
There’s the old saying - “honesty is the best policy” - but how many of us actually want to tell hard truths? Sometimes it can make us uncomfortable, we might be worried it can hurt people, or perhaps we lack full confidence in our own opinions.
So I was interested when researching payments giant, Stripe, for our latest Inside the Values feature, when they talk about their own culture. Here’s a snippet - “…working here will mean some late nights, some weekends, and (especially if you end up in a position of significant responsibility) paying attention to email even during off-hours…. There is no way to schedule that meeting such that everyone attends it during traditional work hours. Our business is intertwined with the global economy, so while Stripes take holidays, Stripe does not.”
It’s true. This is what the startup life is like at many companies, particularly at a fast growth one like Stripe. But does it need to be? Does being up front about such commitments obligate a responsibility from employees? Let us know, we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Happy reading,
Luke and all the Impactful team,
Insights - for those individuals and organisations building better workplaces.
Defining your personal values in five simple steps.
Our values can come from all sorts of places - our parents, our families, where we grew up, our culture, religion, literature to name just a few. So, today, we offer a little guide into defining your personal values in five simple steps. Do it now!
What is pleasanteeism? And is it a problem for your team?
What is pleasanteeism I hear you ask! Well it’s presenting yourself in a positive and happy manner at work, even when you are feeling unhappy. In other words, putting on a brave face. But this can be a major problem, so read this to find out why.
Inside the Values - we get inside what makes the world’s best values-based companies work.
“Many companies have a “no arseholes” rule. We think that bar is far too low. We want to work in a company of deeply good people who treat their colleagues exceptionally well. No matter how talented, we won’t hire jerks” - read more on their culture and journey here.
People with Purpose - the inside story of folks who have chosen to really make a difference.
Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, CEO, Oxfam GB.
“…when hunger is once again on the increase, almost 70 million people have been forced to flee their homes by conflict and persecution and many countries are increasingly looking inwards, the UK and the world need a strong Oxfam more than ever.” Read all about the man, his views and his work.
Video Inspiration - we love them, and think you will too.
The value of kindness at work. Kindness can go a long way when it comes to reshaping a business. James Rhee shares the value of investing in a culture of compassion at work — and shows why we should all lead with our hearts.
News - our carefully curated stories, research and data from around the world of work.
Under 5% of US DAF’s are given anonymously; new study.
According to the National Philanthropic Trust, financial assets in such accounts have grown from $77 billion in 2015 to $142 billion in 2019. During the same period, the number of individual DAF accounts has grown from 272,000 to 873,000. More.
Life-work balance the key motivator for job seekers all over the world says new LinkedIn report.
“We’re seeing people wanting much more flexibility so that they can fit work into their personal lives as opposed to fitting their personal lives into work.” Read the study.
The best of the rest
Come for the Pay and Benefits. Stay for the Company Culture (Industry Week)
Companies that Empower Employees to Give Back (Comparably)
Author Talks: How to gain a competitive edge with organizational culture (McKinsey)