Comments on: Celebrate the Google Way

By: Karl Staib - The Work Happy Guy

Karl Staib - The Work Happy Guy — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:41:32 +0000

Hi Chris, nothing like a couple rounds of drunken karaoke.

Hi Christine, old photos are great. It’s like opening a door into someone’s past, walking through, sitting on their couch and drinking a glass of lemonade.

By: Christine | Communicate Value

Christine | Communicate Value — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:08:06 +0000

Now I’m one of those (sappy?) people who would love to see someone’s old photos or yearbook. And I completely agree that something even as small as that would spark CONNECTION. Conversation, a few smiles, SOMETHING. The kind of thing that’s sorely lacking in many an office.

Love these Google-fied ideas you’re blogging about Karl.

By: chris

chris — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 03:56:56 +0000

We do something similar… Though we get everyone sloppy drunk and let them embarrass themselves via karaoke.

By: Karl Staib - The Work Happy Guy

Karl Staib - The Work Happy Guy — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:24:59 +0000

Hi Stephen, you have to be like Chinese water torture to get anything done in a large organization, but believe me they will give in if you persist.

Hi Karen, wouldn’t that be grand. Then they can hire me to help them implement their strategy. Yes, that’s coming soon.

Hi Arswino, we have to fight those preconceived notions. Google has proved that it can work. Don’t get me wrong Google doesn’t let people play all day. They expect great work, but they understand that people need to let off steam in their own way.

J.D., I would have loved to been there.

Hi Nathan, mandatory fun takes all the fun out of it. The fun needs to be encouraged, not forced.

By: Nathan Hangen

Nathan Hangen — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:35:46 +0000

Well, I love this idea and as soon as I start my company, I think I’ll make sure that this happens. In the Army, we have something called mandatory fun…the only problem is that it is never fun

By: J.D. Meier

J.D. Meier — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:21:18 +0000

I bet the San Francisco Piers party rocked.

I really like the 12 parties a year idea. It’s nice to have something to look forward to each month.

By: Arswino

Arswino — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:04:55 +0000

Hi Karl, I am absolutely agree with your idea.
Oftentimes celebrating make managers so nervous. Maybe throwing a party doesn’t see professional, or it makes managers worry that they won’t look serious to the powers that be, or that, if things get too happy at the office, people will stop working their tails off.
Great article here, Karl. Thanks for sharing.

By: Karen Swim

Karen Swim — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:57:44 +0000

Karl, Google and Zappos are two companies that stand in stark contrast to the corporate America to which I vowed I would never return. No matter how small our company or budget there are lessons to be learned from these companies. In fact, even solo professionals can implement the lessons in their own work environment. I hope that employees and employers will download the book and embark on a mission to put the happy back into work.

By: Stephen - Rat Race Trap

Stephen - Rat Race Trap — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:39:16 +0000

Karl, I’ve downloaded your eBook and went through it. I really have been trying to get my company to do something but they are so big and conservative it takes an act of Congress for the bureaucratic status-quo to change. Oh well, I’m going to keep trying!