3 ms·

I've noticed in my life, over the last 20 years, a strong correlation between companies being successful, which means, making money so they can keep paying thei

I've noticed in my life, over the last 20 years, a strong correlation between companies being successful, which means, making money so they can keep paying their employees, and concerns with those companies making their employees work too hard or for too little. Maybe this problem can be solved, by changing the system, but unless you are in a situation where you can avoid competition, until the system is changed companies may have to do some degree of hard work to survive.

toomuchtodo 7y ago
You require a significant amount of equity and board seats assigned to employees or their representatives, so they share in the gains and have control over the direction of the org.
- jcims 7y ago
  That just means that the employees are more likely to be well taken care of. This intuitively would suggest the company is more likely to be successful, but i think GP's observation is that the opposite might be what we actually see in practice. At least right now.
  - toomuchtodo 7y ago
    The model I suggest is used in Germany, and works well for both the business and the workers. On a smaller scale, Costco implements something similar in the US with positive results (Customers and employees before shareholders, but shareholders still profit).
    - luckyscs 7y ago
      I'd rather have something like a engineering corps that could keep engineers employees during recessions when the private sector can't afford it. Almost like and engineering reserve. I'd rather have the stability than more profit.
      - toomuchtodo 7y ago
        I agree! The US did this as part of the New Deal [1], it was called the Works Progress Administration (WPA) [2], making the federal government the largest employer at the time. You'd want to integrate that with employee unions; during good times, businesses work with unions to source labor. During hard times, the government steps in as the employer of last resort, using cheap nation state debt issuance to fund infrastructure projects to fill in private investment gaps. You of course then have to pay back that debt with taxes when the economy is booming again. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal#Summary_of_First_and_Second_New_Deal_programs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal#Summary_of_First_and_... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_Progress_Administration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_Progress_Administration

toomuchtodo 7y ago

You require a significant amount of equity and board seats assigned to employees or their representatives, so they share in the gains and have control over the direction of the org.

jcims 7y ago
That just means that the employees are more likely to be well taken care of. This intuitively would suggest the company is more likely to be successful, but i think GP's observation is that the opposite might be what we actually see in practice. At least right now.
- toomuchtodo 7y ago
  The model I suggest is used in Germany, and works well for both the business and the workers. On a smaller scale, Costco implements something similar in the US with positive results (Customers and employees before shareholders, but shareholders still profit).
  - luckyscs 7y ago
    I'd rather have something like a engineering corps that could keep engineers employees during recessions when the private sector can't afford it. Almost like and engineering reserve. I'd rather have the stability than more profit.
    - toomuchtodo 7y ago
      I agree! The US did this as part of the New Deal [1], it was called the Works Progress Administration (WPA) [2], making the federal government the largest employer at the time. You'd want to integrate that with employee unions; during good times, businesses work with unions to source labor. During hard times, the government steps in as the employer of last resort, using cheap nation state debt issuance to fund infrastructure projects to fill in private investment gaps. You of course then have to pay back that debt with taxes when the economy is booming again. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal#Summary_of_First_and_Second_New_Deal_programs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal#Summary_of_First_and_... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_Progress_Administration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_Progress_Administration