1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to Part Time Genius, the production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: I Guess what Will? What's that? Man? Have you seen 3 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: these nap pods around? The companies have started using in 4 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,319 Speaker 1: their offices, of course, And actually I feel like I 5 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: remember from years ago. Did didn't you take a field 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: trip to one of these things? One time I did 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: so Jason English and I heard about these at the 8 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: Empire State Building and so we went to a nap 9 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: room and got a nap pass and you kind of 10 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: just lie down in the space age recliner that looks 11 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 1: like an egg and and rest. It does look like 12 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: can he. But for some reason, every time I see 13 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: one of those, it makes me think of pac Man 14 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: and just like eating these people. So there's something about it. 15 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: It makes me a little hesitant to get in one 16 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: of those things. Yeah, but I kind of love that 17 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: they are, these weird little pods and their soundproof and ergonomic, 18 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,279 Speaker 1: and they've got colors that come in to wake you up. 19 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: You know. The one time I did it, not only 20 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 1: did I feel rested, but I woke up refreshed. So 21 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,959 Speaker 1: I actually looked into them for our office and did 22 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: you know they go for like thirteen grand a pop. 23 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: It's a little out of our price range, but it 24 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: did give me thinking about all the ways that the 25 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 1: workplace has changed over the years. I mean, there was 26 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: a time not too long ago when sleeping on the 27 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 1: job was a fireball offense. But now it's a part 28 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 1: of employee wellness programs that everywhere from like Nike to 29 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 1: Google to Ben and Jerry's. So with that kind of 30 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: change in mind, I thought i'd be fun to take 31 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: a tour through the history of office innovations, from surprising 32 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 1: programs adopted in other countries to the rise and fall 33 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: of the office cubicle. Let's dive in. Y Hey, their 34 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: podcast listeners, Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson 35 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: and it's always I'm joined by my good friend Manges 36 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: Ticketer on the other side of that soundproof glass. Look 37 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: at him just polishing that thing. He's polishing this shiny 38 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: new Employee of the Month blaque. That's our friend and 39 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: producer Tristan McNeil. I didn't even know we hadn't employed 40 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: in the month program. We we we actually don't mango. 41 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: He gave himself the employee them on the ward. It 42 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: was kind of a power move, you know, he's he's 43 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: a little bit into these power moves, and and I 44 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 1: think this is because he's now handed over the producing duties. 45 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: And of course Tristan is still going to be around, 46 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: but these are now going to the wonderful lull Berlante. 47 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: So to be fair, I think I'm at least partially 48 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: to blame for this, because last week I told Tristan 49 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,239 Speaker 1: about this big push to ban Employee of the month programs. 50 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: Apparently some HR departments think that the selection criteria is 51 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: too vague, and as a result of this, companies are 52 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: left open to being accused of favoritism. So a lot 53 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: of people are pushing to get rid of these things. Yeah, 54 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: and I guess you can see how people might complain 55 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 1: when they don't get it, And it kind of makes sense, 56 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: you know. I I like how Tristan took it into 57 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: his own hands and out himself a plaque. But why 58 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: why don't we stick to some of the more time 59 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: tested workplace innovations, ones that have already proven themselves to 60 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: be good ideas And one that I really like are 61 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: these professional readers who work in Cuban cigar factories. Readers 62 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: who work in Cuban cigar factories. Yeah, they're called electories, 63 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,239 Speaker 1: and their job is to sit on a raised platform 64 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: inside a factory and read aloud to the people rolling 65 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 1: the cigars. There's usually some kind of p a system too, 66 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: so it isn't just them yelling, but it's it's pretty 67 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: great and it's a practice that's been going on in 68 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: Cuban factories for over a hundred and fifty years now, 69 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: and the electorias are are still they're just reading two 70 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: people to this day. Why is this like it's some 71 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: kind of enrichment or education program or what. Yeah, so 72 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: this is back in eight six five there was a 73 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: man named Nicolas as Karate. I'm sure I'm pronouncing that terribly, 74 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: but he was the leader of a political reform movement 75 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: in Havana, and he thought lictors would help in two ways. First, 76 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: they would help relieve the workers of their boredom. You know, 77 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: cigar roll all day has to be kind of a 78 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: tedious activity. But more importantly, it would help educate the 79 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: workers and broaden their minds about local and global issues. 80 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: And the public actually loved the ideas. So just one 81 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: year after the lectoria has arrived in the factories, the 82 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: Cuban newspaper um Law Aurora report on the program, and 83 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: this is where they wrote. Quote. Today, even in the 84 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: heart of the workshops and during the hours most suited 85 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: to manual labor, imaginations are busily questioning scientific and philosophical truth. 86 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: They're talking and discussing, They're reading the works of good 87 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: modern authors and consulting with each other. In short, they 88 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: are doing what they can to learn and to continue 89 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: along the path of civilization. So it's kind of hard 90 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 1: to say exactly what affects those readings had on the workers, 91 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 1: but it is worth noting that when Cuba want its 92 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: independence from Spain, it did so with the help of 93 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: these cigar workers, and it isn't a stretch to think 94 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: that many of them were inspired by the readings that 95 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: they heard at work. Yeah, not only that, And this 96 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: is something I really don't think most people would know. 97 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 1: But q but has one of the highest literacy rates 98 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: in the world, right, Like, I think it sounds like 99 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: nine point seven percent of the population, which you know, 100 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: it makes sense for a country where factory workers listen 101 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 1: to news and books all day long, I guess. But 102 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: you know, I'm assuming they read books out loud, too, 103 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: So so what kind of stuff do these electories read. Yeah, 104 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 1: it is a mix. The electoria's typically read in thirty 105 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: minutes shifts, so one shift might cover the major news 106 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: stories of the day and another might cover horoscopes or recipes. 107 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: But you're totally right about the books. The real need 108 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: of the programming is the dramatic reading of novels, which happens, 109 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: and that's when the lector is really good to show off, 110 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: like they act out multiple parts, they use different voices. 111 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: Sometimes they provide sound effects like their own effects, and 112 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: the workers can't get enough of it. In fact, when 113 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: they really like what they're hearing, they'll start tapping on 114 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: the table with the knives they use for the cigar 115 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: cutting and and it's basically their way to show their applause. 116 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 1: And I love that they applaud with knives, but it 117 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: doesn't It worries me a little bit and kind of 118 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: makes me wonder what happens if they don't like a reading. Yeah, 119 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: it could be dangerous, but actually that knife applause gets 120 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: used in different ways to write. The factories actually hold 121 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 1: auditions for these lectoria's, where each candidate's pronunciation and their 122 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,679 Speaker 1: oratory flair is is scrutinized. I guess their sound effects 123 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:19,840 Speaker 1: as well. And and then the workers put the whole 124 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: thing to a knife vote, and they also get a 125 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 1: vote on which texta read. Can you guess what the 126 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 1: top novel among these cigar rollers is? I mean, I 127 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:31,039 Speaker 1: have no idea what Harry Potter? Yeah, I mean, that's 128 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: not a bad guess, but it's actually, uh, the Count 129 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: of Monte Cristo. Okay, also Jared Kushner's favorite book. But 130 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: and some lectoria's have even read the book multiple times 131 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: for the same group of workers, Like that's how popular 132 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: it is. But the thing I really like is that 133 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: Electora is basically the voice of the workers in their factory. 134 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: The workers choose the Electora and they choose the words 135 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: here she will read. But they also paid the electora's 136 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 1: wages themselves, using contributions from their salaries, so in a 137 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 1: very real way, the electora's speaks for them. But being 138 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:05,359 Speaker 1: Electora can extend beyond the daily reading, so sometimes they 139 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 1: wind up taking on other jobs, like they announced plays 140 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: at the company baseball game, they'll perform the eulogy at 141 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: at employee funerals, and they even act as a middleman 142 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: for the workers speaking to management on their behalf. It's 143 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: really a role as like a community spokesman or like 144 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: almost like a union leader, as well as being a reader. 145 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: But I think that intimacy between that relationship is kind 146 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: of why the practice still endures today, even with like TV, smartphones, 147 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: even podcast I don't know if you've heard those, but 148 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: these are gonna be big some day. But Lectura kind 149 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: of has the workers back in a way that none 150 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: of those mediums can do exactly. Well. You know, there's 151 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 1: one thing I noticed when I was looking through the 152 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: research that Gabe sent us this week, and is that 153 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: the most effective office innovations tend to be the ones 154 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: that reinforced this feeling of humanity in the workplace. So 155 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: when you think about these, like for a lot of us, 156 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: this means you know, certain modern office staples like coffee 157 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: breaks or casual Fridays, but there are also things that 158 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: like homemade lunch delivery service that they have in Mumbai, 159 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: which is just can you imagine how much fun that 160 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: would be? Yeah, the double Wallas the dumble is actually 161 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: your lunch or lunch container and the wall as the 162 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: person who delivers it. I mean, it's crazy how old 163 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: this system actually is Apparently it's been in place for 164 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: them like a hundred and thirty years and there's more 165 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: than two hundred thousand people in the city that rely 166 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: on it to deliver their lunch each day. But what's 167 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: fascinating to me is that it's so efficient. So there 168 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: were some people from Harvard that did a study on this, 169 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: and it's actually estimated that for every six million meals 170 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: they handle, only one actually misses its destination. Like that 171 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: is efficient, way better track record than any food delivery 172 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: app that I can think of. Yeah, I mean my 173 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: families from Bombay and I didn't know those numbers. But 174 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: what's crazier to me is that the system is about 175 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: as analog as you can get. So each double wall 176 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: is responsible for finding his own customers, also for collecting 177 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: the money from them, and sort of the way it 178 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: used to work with milkman or paper boys. They're actually 179 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: the one doing the collections. So every day, each double 180 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: Walla bikes to his customers homes one by one, picks 181 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: up a freshly cooked meal from each one of them, 182 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: and then he takes these meals to their drop off points, 183 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 1: where they get grouped with a bunch of other meals 184 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: and sent off to this nearby train station. So from there, 185 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: the home cooked meals travel to a hub where they're 186 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: sorted by location and then finally sent out by bike 187 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,559 Speaker 1: and delivered before lunchtime. And despite all of that, they 188 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 1: have that sort of track record. I mean, it's, I guess, 189 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: a wonderful organized chaos from everything I've read about. If 190 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: you know apprienently, it takes at least three months of 191 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: training just to memorize the coding system they use for 192 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: the different lunch boxes. I don't know if you've seen these, 193 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: but it's got like a jumble of colors and letters 194 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: and numbers. But you know, I can't get over how 195 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: much stress these guys must be under. Like not only 196 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 1: do they have to move the lunch boxes from one 197 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:57,439 Speaker 1: train to another to get to the destinations, but if 198 00:09:57,440 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: you've ever tried to just take a train without doing 199 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: the lunch is an India that's its own chore. So 200 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: you know, if a double walla gets confused and and 201 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 1: this is his connection, that means a whole block where 202 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: the customers might miss their lunches. It's insanity, all right. 203 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: So just to clarify on this though, like this system 204 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: seems to be thriving despite the fact that they're probably 205 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: cheaper and easier ways to eat lunch at work. And 206 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: I'm curious, why do you think this is? I mean, 207 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: for some people it's a matter of health or hygiene, 208 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: like they don't want to eat anything that might get 209 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: them sick, and getting your dubble from home is is 210 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: a good way to ensure that doesn't happen. But more broadly, 211 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: I think the people goes back to the human component, like, 212 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: this isn't food that's been prepared by a stranger. It 213 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: was freshly cooked by a loved one for you, Which 214 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: is why I think it's such an enduring innovation. All right, Well, 215 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: now that we've looked at a few workplace trends from abroad, 216 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: I feel like we should circle back to the US 217 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,559 Speaker 1: offices and trying to get a sense for how it's 218 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:53,839 Speaker 1: evolved over the years. Sure, but before we do that, 219 00:10:53,920 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: let's take a quick break. You're listening to part Time 220 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 1: Genius and we're talking about office innovations that have changed 221 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,559 Speaker 1: the way we work, sometimes for the better and sometimes 222 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: for the worst. Is it still an innovation if it 223 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: actually makes things worse? I think so, Like think about 224 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:25,199 Speaker 1: think about the cubicle right, like it's it was super 225 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: innovative when it came on the scene in the nineteen sixties, 226 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: but plenty of office workers would argue that change was 227 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: not for the better. I mean, I guess that's true, 228 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: but you kind of have to look at the whole history. 229 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: I do think they're a little bit misunderstood. Like cubicles, 230 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: for all their faults, and of course there are many, 231 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 1: they were still a step up from the office layout 232 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 1: of yesteryear. So just as an example of this, in 233 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: the nineteenth century, American offices were these small, dingy places, 234 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: pop bellied stove and a bunch of clerks just kind 235 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: of piled on top of one another, and so it's 236 00:11:56,640 --> 00:12:00,439 Speaker 1: this cramp, smokey, just not pleasant space ace and there 237 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:02,719 Speaker 1: was zero privacy. I know, when I think about that, 238 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,559 Speaker 1: I almost think of like Scrooge's office in the Christmas Carol. 239 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: It was all exactly like that, Like that was true 240 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,680 Speaker 1: to every single office. And I know you, Mango, so 241 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 1: I know you're picturing Scrooges office in the Muppet version 242 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: of the Christmas Carol, and you aren't far off. So 243 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: by the twentieth century, office spaces had thankfully spread out 244 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 1: a little bit, but soon they started to resemble factory floors. 245 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: You know, I think of these bulky flat desks set 246 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: up side by side, and so not only did this 247 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: arrangement maximize space, but it also made it easy for 248 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: supervisors to keep an eye on all of their employees. 249 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 1: So even though offices were bigger than they used to be, 250 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: personal privacy in this workplace sort of setting it was, 251 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,559 Speaker 1: it was really nonexistent. It would, you know, It's kind 252 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: of stay this way until the cubicle came along in 253 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: the late nineteen sixties. Yeah, it's interesting, like we're so 254 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 1: used to thinking of cubicles in negative terms, like they're 255 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 1: blend or homogeneous, isolating, But that's probably because we pictured 256 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: the alternative as every employe having their own office with 257 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: the door. But cubicle will start to look a lot 258 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: more liberating when you remember that the status quo of 259 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: the era was almost like a bullpen with everyone just 260 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: working elbow to elbow. Yeah, that's exactly right, And you know, 261 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,439 Speaker 1: it's strange to think about the cubicles really were intended 262 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: to bring a bit more humanity and individuality to the workplace, 263 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 1: or at least that was the goal of Robert Probes, 264 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: who was the inventor of the cubicle, and Probes was 265 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: the head of research at Herman Miller's furniture company. This 266 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: was in the nineteen fifties and the nineteen sixties, and 267 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: it was during the course of his work that he 268 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: got depressed about the state of the modern office. So 269 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: he wrote about this. This was actually from nineteen sixty 270 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: and he said, today's office is a waste land. It 271 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 1: SAPs fatality, blocks talent, frustrates accomplishment. It is the daily 272 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 1: scene of unfulfilled intentions and failed efforts. Such a wonderful idea, 273 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: I know you had some strong feelings there, He really did, 274 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 1: and so it inspired him to get, you know, to 275 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: work designing the ideal workspace. So he really did have 276 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: very good in engines here, and using research he collected 277 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:06,959 Speaker 1: from design experts, Probes decided on this new, flexible, kind 278 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: of customizable approach, which he dubbed the action office. So 279 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: it consisted of a desk, a space for making phone calls, 280 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 1: a vertical filing system, and these three hinged partitions that 281 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: could be rearranged as needed to accommodate solo work. Or 282 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: in some cases collaborative work. And to be clear, though, 283 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: the Action Office was not a cubicle like. The idea 284 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: was to provide a mix of walls and desks of 285 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 1: various heights so that each workers set up their space 286 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: to match their own needs. And you know, it's kind 287 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: of a smart idea compared to what was out there. 288 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: And Proest included these acoustical panels to help block out 289 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: some of the sound of typing and other people's phone calls, 290 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: and so he even included this adjustable desk so that 291 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: people could stand while they worked, which you know, he 292 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: thought it would actually help improve employee blood flow in 293 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: the process. That's kind of amazing that he was that 294 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: ahead of his time with the standing deess and and 295 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: the panels. And I also love the branding the Action Office. Like, 296 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: the main problem was that nobody bought the Action Office. 297 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: Designers praised it as ingenious, but for companies and the executives, 298 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: the system was just like too high concept to buy into. 299 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: And so Propes and his team went back to the 300 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: drawing board and a year later they came out with 301 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: the Action Office too, So, you know, totally different thing here, 302 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: and it was cheaper and simpler, and unlike it's more 303 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 1: open minded predecessor, this new design had a very stock 304 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: model with a fixed desk and you know those humanizing 305 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 1: frills like shelves and better site lines that had previously 306 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: been available as options, but you know, most companies didn't 307 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: spend on them, and as a result, Prop's vision of 308 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: this sprawling, productive workspace gave way to his fenced in 309 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: office space that we really think of now when we 310 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 1: think of cubicles. When you talk about it that way, 311 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: it's almost like kind of what happened with the mall inventor, 312 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: Like who wanted to create those town squares and then 313 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: it ended up being just this commercial, like like pure 314 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: commerce place. Yeah, I know, we talked about that not 315 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: too long ago, and it's basically the same story with Probes. 316 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: So other furniture companies started making their own no frills 317 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: cubicles and offices became these more crowded and impersonal spaces 318 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: more than they had even before. And just like Ruin 319 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: with his shopping malls, Probes had to stand by and watches. 320 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: His invention became this new model for that very corporate 321 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: sameness that he'd been trying to get rid of. And 322 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: in fact, I pulled this quote from him that shows 323 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: how disappointed he was in the whole thing. He says, 324 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 1: not all organizations are intelligent and progressive. Lots are run 325 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: by crass people. They make little bitty cubicles and stuff 326 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 1: people in them. Barren, rat hole places, monolithic insanity. I 327 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: don't want to read this guy's quotes. Just over and 328 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: I've got more rat whole places. He has not mincing words, 329 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: very very descriptive. So so probes passed away in the 330 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: year two ols and it makes you wonder what he 331 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 1: would think of the return to the open office layout 332 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: that we've really seen come about in the last twenty 333 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: years or so. I mean, don't get me wrong about 334 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: thirty of American employees still work in cubicles, and the 335 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 1: industry makes a couple billion dollars in sales every year. 336 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: But open floor plans have become the new normal again, 337 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: and that's thanks largely to the tech industry and the 338 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: cubicle you know, could be on its way out at last. 339 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 1: It is strange to see that pendulum, right, It just 340 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:30,679 Speaker 1: swings from one side to the other and back. But 341 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: it's also weird that we can't find our way to 342 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: the middle. Like, there's so many studies that show that 343 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: open offices actually decreased productivity. One study from the Cohen 344 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: Brown Management Group found that office workers lose between three 345 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: to five hours of productive time every day in an 346 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: open office. And that's because they're constantly being interrupted in 347 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,400 Speaker 1: some way by the people around them. And the worst 348 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 1: part is that those interruptions aren't even worth the bother 349 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: in most cases. Like, according to a professor of management 350 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: at n y U, and her name is Ann lar Fiard, 351 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: this is a quote, many studies show that people have 352 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:07,400 Speaker 1: shorter and more superficial conversations in open because they're self 353 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 1: conscious about being overheard. You know. It's interesting because I've 354 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 1: always heard that the biggest benefit to an open office 355 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:16,360 Speaker 1: is that the employees, you know, they interact, they collaborate 356 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: so much more than in a partitioned office, I guess, 357 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 1: But but I think that benefit make it canceled out 358 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:25,160 Speaker 1: if the interactions are mostly hollow, right, Yeah, I think 359 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: the real thing open office plans have going for them 360 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: is that they're way cheaper than going to cubicle route. 361 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: You can get by with three times less office space 362 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: if you just use an open floor plan and you 363 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 1: don't have to worry about fitting in a bunch of big, 364 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,919 Speaker 1: boxy cubes. All right, So open offices are less expensive 365 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 1: and they can make it seem like your company is 366 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: really shaking things up, I guess. But you know, on 367 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 1: their own, they aren't enough to make workers anymore creative 368 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 1: or more productive. So so what kind of innovation would 369 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: actually do that? I mean, there's got to be something, right. Yeah, 370 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: I've got a few fun options that we can run through. 371 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: But let's take another quick break. Welcome back to part 372 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 1: time Genius. All right, Mango, you promised this. You're going 373 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 1: to give us some picks for the best ways to 374 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 1: boost productivity at work, and you can't say nappods again. 375 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: You've got to come up with something. Well, I've got 376 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: something much better in mind, and it is cheaper, because, 377 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:32,400 Speaker 1: according to recent studies, one way to improve your job 378 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: performance is just by making your coworkers laugh. That actually 379 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: makes me think of like bosses starting to do impressions 380 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: like they're Michael Scott in the office or something like that, 381 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: and I'm curious, like whose performance does it actually help 382 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: the joke teller or the person laughing. So that's a 383 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 1: really great part about this. It affects both parties, and 384 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: for the person making the jokes, the benefit is a 385 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 1: boosting social status. In two thousands, sixteen, researchers at the 386 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: Harvard Business School concluded that when an employee makes a 387 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: coworkers laugh, that person is quote perceived as more competent, 388 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: more confident, and higher in status. That's just some revolutionary 389 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: research there. And so what about for the people laughing, 390 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 1: They actually get something good out of it as well. 391 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 1: They get stress relief, entertainment, and a stronger sense of 392 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,959 Speaker 1: engagement and collaboration. I mean, this is all studies backed. 393 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: And then there's the physical changes like for example, laughing 394 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:25,879 Speaker 1: increases your intake of oxygen and that turned up to 395 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:29,439 Speaker 1: the amount of endorphins that your brain releases. Plus laughter 396 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: can stimulate circulation and relax your muscles, so it's great 397 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: for relieving physical stress, all right. So, just to play 398 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 1: Devil's advocate on this for for for a second, have 399 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 1: there been any studies on whether laughing actually improved productivity 400 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 1: because stress relief, endorphins connecting with your coworkers, and it 401 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: makes sense that it would make net positive results, I guess, 402 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: but I'm just wondering if researchers have actually been able 403 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: to prove this. Yeah, I mean that's fair. I think 404 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: it's a little tricky just because every company is going 405 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: to have its own different measures of productivity, so it's 406 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:00,200 Speaker 1: not like you'll be able to prove the fact of 407 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: laughter across the board or anything. But uh, you know, 408 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: I I did read about one study that came out 409 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: of the University of Bristol a few years back where 410 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: the researchers tried to determine if there really was a 411 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: link between happiness and productivity. And what they did was 412 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: they gathered a bunch of volunteers and split them into 413 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 1: two groups, and the first group watched a funny video 414 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,399 Speaker 1: clip that was meant to make them laugh, and the 415 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 1: second group didn't watch anything. And then the members in 416 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: both groups were given a set of addition problems and 417 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: charged with solving as many as they could within i 418 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 1: don't know, like ten minutes or something. So in this case, 419 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 1: productivity was measured by the number of problems solved correctly, 420 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: and as you're probably guessing, you know, the result was 421 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: the employees who laughed at the clip were a full 422 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,680 Speaker 1: ten percent more productive than the employees who hadn't watched 423 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,919 Speaker 1: the clip, so it's not definitive, but there's still a 424 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: good reason to think that laughter in the workplace is 425 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 1: kind of a win for everyone. I mean, it doesn't 426 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 1: make sense when you think about in terms of headspace 427 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: and how laughter can know of course, improve your mood. Yeah, 428 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 1: because it's actually the same thing that happens with music. 429 00:21:57,520 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: Like I'm thinking about all those studies you see about 430 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: how listening to music when you work and actually put 431 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 1: you in a better mood. You know. I was actually 432 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: looking at that this week because I wasn't sure how 433 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: much truth there was to that claim. And personally, I'm 434 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 1: some sometimes in one camp and sometimes in the other 435 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: where I feel like music is like great in the 436 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:16,439 Speaker 1: background and I'm really humming along, and then sometimes I 437 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 1: feel like it's so distracting. But I mean, I've read 438 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: some of those studies that you mentioned as well, though. 439 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: What was the verdict. Well, it turns out it kind 440 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: of depends on what you're listening to. So if you're 441 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,400 Speaker 1: listening to music that you enjoy at work, then you're 442 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: likely to experience a mood boost of about nine of 443 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,679 Speaker 1: the time, or at least that's according to one expert 444 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 1: that there was this music therapy professor in Miami name 445 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: Teresa Lessie Yuck, And the reason for that boost is 446 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 1: that when you listen to music you like, it activates 447 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: the pleasure center in your brain, which of course feels good. 448 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: So by the same token, if you're listening to music 449 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: you can't stand, then you probably won't get the same results, 450 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 1: which makes sense. But now it feels like we're running 451 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 1: into the same question you have with the laughter case, 452 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: like does being in a good mood really make you 453 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: a more productive worker or is that just something we 454 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: kind of take as a given. Well, like you said, 455 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: I mean, there probably isn't one single study that could 456 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: prove all of this, But according to Lessieu, there is 457 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 1: evidence that people are more productive when they're in a 458 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: positive mood. And as you put it, when you're in 459 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: that mood state, you're better at problem solving and thinking creatively. 460 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: You take in more options and don't narrow your focus. 461 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 1: And that kind of tracks because you know, your pleasure 462 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: center isn't the only part of the brain that lights 463 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: up when you listen to good music or when you laugh. 464 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: The other area that gets stimulated is the specific neural 465 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: pathway that runs through the limbic system all the way 466 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: up to the orbital frontal cortex. And as I'm sure 467 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: we all remember, I only remember because I'm looking at 468 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,159 Speaker 1: my notes here to be honest with you, that that's 469 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: the part of the brain that deals with decision making. 470 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: So essentially, when that part of the brain is stimulated, 471 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: the result is this spike in creativity and problem solving. 472 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: And here's how you can tell that there's truth to this. 473 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 1: So several companies are trying to cash in on these 474 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: neurological ben fits by creating music that's specifically designed to 475 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,879 Speaker 1: improve your mood and productivity at work, and it's called 476 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,399 Speaker 1: streamlined music. It's pay special attention to the key and 477 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 1: tempo of songs in order to maximize the effect they 478 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 1: have on an employee's limbic system. So the jury is 479 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 1: still out on how well the system works, but the 480 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 1: takeaway so far is that it really can improve the 481 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: quote perceived focus, task persistence, precognition, and creative thinking of listeners. 482 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:31,160 Speaker 1: So if nothing else, at least we've got a good 483 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:33,160 Speaker 1: excuse to listen to music in the office. Now, Yeah, 484 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 1: I think it'll go over well if you just tell 485 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 1: your boss your head banging and working on your Excel sheets, 486 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: that you're just stimulating your limbic system, I guess, and 487 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: I'm sure they won't have any follow up questions to that. 488 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 1: So speak of being things awkward at work, there's one 489 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,919 Speaker 1: more unusual innovation we should mention for office workers, and 490 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: that's a roma therapy. I mean, it's funny because I've 491 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: seen these office diffusers online, like you just squired a 492 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: couple of drops of your favorite essential oil into this 493 00:24:57,680 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 1: scent pad thing and then plug it into your US 494 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,119 Speaker 1: speed port. It is pretty weird, to be honest with you, 495 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 1: I know, And initially it sounded like less a way 496 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,400 Speaker 1: to improve the workplace and more like a good way 497 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 1: to alienate your coworkers. I remember when the Internet was 498 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 1: just starting and and and people were talking about what 499 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 1: the future of the Internet would be, and people were 500 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 1: saying that, you know, having sent through your computer to 501 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 1: like enhance the roma of of a food article or 502 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 1: whatever would be exciting. And then the response to immediately 503 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: was that trolls would hack your system and send out 504 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: fart bombs, and so that's sort of smell vision of 505 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:33,880 Speaker 1: the internet hasn't come about. But this is a much 506 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 1: safer way to make sure you're surrounded by good smells 507 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:39,440 Speaker 1: and and being more meditative about your work. I guess well, 508 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 1: speaking of focus, how about we keep our eye on 509 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:44,440 Speaker 1: the prize, not not Tristan's employee the month prize, but 510 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:54,640 Speaker 1: the fact off prize. Sounds good. M all right, I'm 511 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:56,440 Speaker 1: gonna start with my favorite office perk of all time. 512 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: It's the sixty five ft tall indoor ferris wheel. It's 513 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:04,719 Speaker 1: permanently housed in the headquarters of Acuity Insurance in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, 514 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: and these lucky employees there get to write it basically 515 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: whenever they want. And if this all sounds a little 516 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,919 Speaker 1: bit decadent, keep in mind that the rides primary purpose 517 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: is to serve as a fund centerpiece for fundraising events 518 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: for local charities, so in fact, it's even nicknamed the 519 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: Charity Wheel for that very reason. That's really sweet, but 520 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: it also seems like a good way to sell insurance, 521 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 1: like maybe you need some insurance before you hop on 522 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: this giant old ferris wheel. Actually, Acuity has these other 523 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: unusual perks going forward as well, including a forty five 524 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 1: foot tall climbing wall of four hundred foot tall flagpole 525 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 1: and a dress code that's described as jeens friendly. Yeah, 526 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 1: the last one is a real selling point. But you know, 527 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 1: for me, probably the coolest park I came across is 528 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:53,400 Speaker 1: the maternity leave program for employees at a company called 529 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: Vota Phone. They're a UK based telecommunications provider and a 530 00:26:57,119 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 1: few years ago they noticed a troubling pattern in their workforce. 531 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,199 Speaker 1: It seemed that a high number of female employees were 532 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 1: leaving the company soon after returning from maturity leave, and 533 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 1: in nearly two thirds of these cases, the women did 534 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 1: so within a year of having their baby, so obviously 535 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: not an ideal retention rate. Vota Phone decided to change 536 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,159 Speaker 1: their policy and attempt to combat the problem, and the 537 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: result is one of the most compassionate maternity leave programs 538 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 1: in the world. So women who work at Vota Phone 539 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,200 Speaker 1: are now entitled at least sixteen weeks of fully paid 540 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: maternity leave, and it's followed by thirty hour work weeks 541 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 1: paid at full salary for six months after they returned 542 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 1: to work. Actually, speaking of pregnancy, and I know that 543 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:34,880 Speaker 1: there's going to be an age gap and too who 544 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 1: knows this fact and who thinks this is really weird? 545 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: But actually getting pregnant used to be a fireable offense 546 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,719 Speaker 1: in the US, which is just sort of mind boggling. 547 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 1: It sounds made up, But until the late nineteen seventies, 548 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 1: employers were permitted to fire women just because they were expecting, 549 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 1: and the practice was considered like a cost cutting measure 550 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,000 Speaker 1: aimed at saving a company money on you know, maternity 551 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 1: leave health benefits, and it was pretty pop or two so, 552 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:04,280 Speaker 1: according to the Department of Labor, during the mid nineteen sixties, 553 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 1: only of first time mothers worked while pregnant, compared to 554 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 1: a close to seventy today, And the crucial factor behind 555 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 1: that uptick was the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which finally put 556 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:19,440 Speaker 1: an end to this firing practice, and that happened in 557 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:22,439 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy eight, the year before the two of us 558 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: were born, thank you. Yeah, And obviously there's so much 559 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: work to be done on that front to make it 560 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: a truly level playing field. You know, this next one 561 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,400 Speaker 1: is something surprising that I kind of wish I hadn't 562 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: learned this week. So, you know, all those long running 563 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 1: rumors that you hear around the office, but like the 564 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 1: one about Tristan winning the pick leading contest at last 565 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: year's Atlanta County Fair was that one that rumorable? I 566 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: don't know if that one's true, but but if you 567 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 1: do hear an office rumor, there's a good chance it 568 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: is true. Or at least that's what researchers found at 569 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 1: the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of South Australia. 570 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 1: According to them, a workplace grapevine is like one big 571 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: truth detector. Baseless gossa gets dropped fast because one person 572 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 1: or another can usually debunk it. But if there's truth 573 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: to a rumor, it tends to persist and all the 574 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 1: embellishments and guesswork around it are gradually shaved away. So 575 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 1: this is what one of the authors behind the study 576 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: said about it. Quote. In a workplace setting, what we 577 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: call a stable organizational grapevine, people are very good at 578 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: figuring out the truth. If you tell me something and 579 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: I work closely with you, I know whether you're a 580 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: credible source. But even if I'm not so sure, in 581 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: workplace settings, it's easy to cross check information. So, in 582 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: a weird way, the longer that a rumor is circulated 583 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 1: among employees, like the pickle one about Tristan, the more 584 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: accurate it is. You know, It's weird because it kind 585 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: of feels like a reverse game of telephone, like the 586 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:45,760 Speaker 1: message actually gets clear from person to person, which is 587 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: not not what you would think would happen. But alright, 588 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: well here's a quick one. The largest office building in 589 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: the world is actually the Pentagon in Washington, d C. 590 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: So even though it's only seven stories tall, the building's 591 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 1: unique shape makes it super a along like giving it. 592 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 1: I think it has a whopping three point seven million 593 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: square feet of floor space, So that's three times the 594 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 1: square footage of the Empire State Building and room enough 595 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 1: for more than twenty three thousand employees. That's crazy. So 596 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: here's what I like. There's one Starbucks in the world 597 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 1: that will never spell your name wrong on the order, 598 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: the c I A Starbucks also known as Store Number one, 599 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: and it's apparently the only store of the more than 600 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: twenty th Starbucks that will never ask for your name, 601 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 1: and that's because, thanks to CIA rules, it is not allowed. Well, 602 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: so how did the baristas know what you ordered? I mean, 603 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: they're just that good. Like they have to go through 604 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 1: intense training and background checks, and then when they finally 605 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 1: get the job, they just quickly learned to pair drink 606 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:47,640 Speaker 1: orders with faces. I love that and it makes a 607 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 1: lot of sense. Yeah, I mean it does. But it 608 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 1: also seems like the CIA is smart enough that people 609 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: could make up fake names, right, Like my father in 610 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: law just decided that his local Starbucks he'd only be 611 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 1: known as wand so when he walks in, everyone greets 612 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: him as one like he's wanting to tars. But I 613 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:08,080 Speaker 1: guess not having to say your name is easier. That's 614 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 1: pretty great, all right, Well, I think because of that, 615 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: both the great fact and the story about your father 616 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: in law, you've earned the trophy for today. So congratulations, 617 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 1: thank you so much, and and that is all for 618 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:23,400 Speaker 1: today's Part Time Genius, but from Gabe Lowell, Will and me, 619 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,240 Speaker 1: thanks as always for listening, and I think we'll be 620 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 1: back soon with another episode. Part Time Genius is a 621 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my 622 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 1: Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, 623 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.