It is not really a budget issue, so I don't see why more companies don't do it. Another good one is the 20% time. A third is child care.
This free food thing was a great early step to take. So simple, so obvious, so visible. It will garner headlines.
In Week Two, Marissa Mayer Googifies Yahoo: Free Food! Friday Afternoon All-Hands! New Work Spaces! Fab Swag!
a weekly Friday afternoon all-hands meeting ...... Mayer is also prepping major changes to the layout of the work spaces and buildings of Yahoo to make it feel more collaborative and cool, as well as upgrading swag in its stores..... Such focus on improving cultural issues is an interesting initial move by the neophyte CEO, since the care and feeding and, most of all, cosseting of employees has been a critical element to Google’s success at creating an always sunny work environment. ..... “It might be just a small thing, but people are thrilled,” said one Yahoo employee, in a common sentiment about the symbolic gesture of free grub...... Mayer has been up to much more serious business.. most especially pushing product innovation as the savior for Yahoo to anyone who will listen. ...... Better email! Better Flickr! Better search! Better ad-serving! ..... “This is the sound of Yahoo becoming a technology company again.... It will be all about platforms and products.” ..... a big splashy tech or product deal in the days ahead, perhaps via an acquisition to signal the new direction. ..... Will Mayer, as Google CEO Larry Page has done forever, approve all hires at Yahoo going forward? ..... Mayer has been studying org charts carefully this past week, and several sources told me that she has asked all her direct reports for strategic plans in the next 45 days.Jack Dorsey got elbowed out of the CEO position at Twitter by Evan Williams. Months later Dorsey said he should have had weekly team meetings.
Flat workspaces are another thing. No cubicles. Just one big, open space.
You want your people to be happy.
I asked for a free Flickr, (Make Flickr Free Again) but got free food instead.
Of all the Google things, the 20% time I find the most intriguing. That is Google's elixir of youth. That is the reason why when Google becomes bigger it tackles bigger problems instead of going staid and corporate.
Free lunch in week two is a master stroke.
What will be Mayer's first acquisition? I bet many minds are asking that question. Flipboard would make a lot of sense.
