Emporium - a new way of working

Since I first started working for a living, I have been deeply sceptical about the way organisations work. I saw too many people demoralised at having to put up with petty dictators, and too many rules getting in the way of people trying to work effectively.

Then, for some years, I had the chance to experience what work can be like in an environment that produced not only outstanding results, but a spirit, excitement and quality of life that people loved. It had no petty rules. It assumed people were there because they wanted to be successful, and its management acted as if it was there to help.

The mediocrity, insensitivity and sometimes the plain nastiness that we put up with in work environments a lot of the time comes at an enormous human cost and leaves untold money on the table.

The fundamental problem lies in the relationship that exists - perhaps I should say is allowed to exist - between employers and employees, or bosses and workers. It is not usually an acknowledged problem. It is tacit and not discussed openly.

The issue is as old as the hills, but was famously characterised for our times by Douglas McGregor as Theory X and Theory Y (these are views managements hold regarding how to get people to work well: X says you stand over people and threaten them; Y says you give people trust and support because they want to do well). Whether a workplace has the style of X or Y is a big influence on whether the resulting work life is an inspiring success story, a dreary routine or a toxic nightmare. Of course, X and Y are each appropriate at times. The important point is that they happen in a way that makes sense to people and is good for the business.

Australia has fantastic potential. Many Australians are doing wonderful, leading edge work, resulting in great businesses, discoveries in science and advances in social areas. Nevertheless swathes of the workforce are locked into industrial attitudes that draw their potency from historical wrongs and a culture of conservatism, competitiveness and fierce individualism that does little to foster co-operation.

For Australia to realise its strengths, people need to work well together, not just co-operating at tasks they have been trained in but listening to one another and building on ideas. Sticking with the old employee relations agenda is like driving forwards in time with eyes fixed on the rear view mirror.

So what is to be done?

The challenge is to build an environment in which people want to give of their best and are well supported in doing so. But it is notoriously hard to change a culture, largely because the forces that got it to wherever it is are still there to do it again. A solution often adopted in business is to start afresh in a green field site, with clear, new incentives. This is the guiding principle behind “Emporium”, in essence, a proposal to treat Australia as a green field site on which to build a world leading, high performance work system, fit for the turbulent times we are living in.

To convey how this might work, I ask you to come forwards with me in time about ten years and see what has developed. There is now to be found in towns and cities across the country a network of new workplaces called “Emporium” which are supported by an adult education program. Emporium’s basic modus operandi is to support its members in finding, contracting and executing work assignments, which can vary in size from small one-person tasks to major areas of responsibility outsourced from large organisations. Many of its members are part of multinational project teams.

Physically, Emporium offers serviced office accommodation, perhaps with light industrial space, and areas for social contact and other meetings. Visiting a facility, one might encounter members, mainly meeting as teams, people from other organisations temporarily working there, visitors investigating, consultants supporting and staff administrating. One might notice several people who could be retired - the key to Emporium’s success has been experienced people, with valuable knowledge and contacts, becoming involved and acting as mentors.

The financial impetus to get Emporium started came from large employers. Concern was growing to reduce costs by outsourcing any work that could be parcelled out, and Emporium was ready with a solution as the matter was getting attention. Its leading members were able to demonstrate an understanding of how to manage the subcontracting relationship, and an attitude to getting things done in business that the employers respected. Emporium placed great emphasis on managing these relationships and is now seen by many clients as a strong business partner.

As Emporium was seen to be workable, towns began to see how they could benefit. It was attracting money to pay people. It was allowing people to work without having to travel. It was forming a new skill base that was hungry for work. Councils could sub-contract routine civic responsibilities (this was an element in several startups). Small businesses were becoming interested in the opportunities that could be on offer. The developing business relationships led people to move to the town, and clients assigned employees to experience the culture of Emporium and bring it back in house. Discussion between towns and organisations is starting to become strategic.

The work of Emporium is underpinned by a technological infrastructure which was developed in a new way. It was clear that as Emporium grew, there would be an enormous administrative load. But beyond this, it was apparent that quick, reliable access to information and support would be needed by a wide range of people.

Emporium places great importance on work design, encouraging members to draw on experience such as socio-technical systems design. Much of its work involves putting together teams at short notice, who then have to sort out how they are going to go about things. As people develop understanding of how to work together effectively, IT staff are able to form a picture of what they are being asked to support. The computer system is required to integrate seamlessly to the users’ way of working, so making people central rather than technology. This is a different emphasis from traditional practice in which people bought a predefined solution and designed their work around it.

Emporium is now emerging as a new institution of work in Australian society. Few people need to do much commuting. Many people find themselves well served by becoming self employed and taking their skills to the local Emporium. There, apart from working on contracts, they meet others, see what is happening locally (with an open invitation to get involved if they can add value), and learn of new initiatives underway.

They have access to experts, coaches and consultants who visit as required (or might work there anyway). Mentors are available for people who request them (and nearly all do). Beyond that, people are responsible for themselves. People who fail to deliver satisfaction soon find others choose not to work with them.

At the start, Emporium advertised itself as a green field site for a new culture. People who showed an interest were self-selecting. Those laying the foundations encouraged independence and collaboration, and guided people away from conformity and competitiveness. They led from the front when that was called for, but preferred to step back and allow others to lead, encouraging them to gain the experience, while steering them away from serious mistakes.

There was a belief that most people had potential they were not aware of, and feedback to people about their perceived strengths was encouraged. Another belief was that people do their best work when fully committed and owning what they are doing - a very different state of mind from just carrying out work they have been trained to do.

If this is how Emporium looks in ten years time, how did it actually get started? When the idea was written up and published, a chord was struck with a few experienced managers who saw merit and contacted the author. After a lot of discussion, a core group remained interested in turning the idea into a business plan. To do what was still not entirely clear, but doing the work would flush that out.

What came out was a two-part plan. Step one was to develop a clear message that design of the work environment is of real economic importance, and make it a subject people could talk about clearly. Step two was to sell the Emporium concept. Step one was seen to be necessary because work design is a soft, elusive subject that has never been treated with the importance it deserves. The group was in total agreement that design of work environment is the hard bedrock of sustained success.

Step two was to propose a way forward to businesses, government and the IT industry, and offer an adult education program for people interested in taking part. For the core group, this was learning by doing, developing the education program at the same time as initiating the first pilot projects.

While working on the business plan, sufficient clarity had emerged for two pilots to be proposed. One arose when a leading airline closed a facility in a country town leaving about 40 technically savvy individuals without work. A core member knew of an insurance company keen to reduce its payroll, and also knew a couple of retired executives from the company, ideal to guide this group and get them access if they saw possibilities with the company. The retirees were delighted to be asked. When they all visited the town, the idea was received warmly, and they soon got down to work.

The second arose in rich farming country. Small farmers needed new markets for their gourmet products and were looking towards South Asia, but none of them had experience of how to proceed. Hearing about this, a core member travelled out to meet them. Once they started talking, enthusiasm grew, the more so as they saw support was available, and realised their interest was reciprocated in the countries they were investigating. A grant from the local council helped cover initial costs.

Three more months of work brought more clarity and a further pilot.  A core member knew someone planning to launch a company letting incubator units to business start-ups. He suggested it advertise “technology support so good you’ll never notice it”. The entrepreneur liked the idea and a computer manufacturer became interested. This was the most problematic pilot in the end, but it amazed all involved by the potential it demonstrated.

Each of the pilots was successful in some ways and not in others. All proved a great learning opportunity. Out of these, the next proposals turned out to be a runaway success. This was when the concept of Emporium really started to take off.