Since 2013 over 21,000 people from all over the world have made a trip to visit a software company in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They have made this pilgrimage to learn from a remarkable company with an equally remarkable mission ‘To end human suffering in the world as it relates to technology.’
Featured by Forbes and Inc.com, Menlo Innovations is a workplace with an international reputation for generating joy for both those doing the work, for its clients and their software’s eventual end users. The company’s founder Rich Sheridan literally wrote the book on Joy with his best-seller “Joy, Inc. How We Built a Workplace People Love” which describes Menlo’s amazing company culture. A workplace built on self-managing teams, trust, transparency and one key concept - working in pairs.
At Menlo, nearly everyone works in pairs. Two people sharing a single computer, passing the mouse around whilst discussing problems and finding solutions. Pairs stay together for a week and then they all switch to work with a new pair partner. This constant dance keeps energy levels high, shares skills and knowledge, prevents burnout and trains new members of staff by pairing them with more experienced peers. At Menlo, you’ll never work alone.
Joining Digital Lincoln at 7pm on Tuesday 26th January 2021 will be two Menlonians to share their insights into working in pairs, removing fear from the workplace and the power of a positive workplace culture. Regardless of what type of industry you are in, we can all learn something from Menlo’s example and I hope you can join us for what is sure to be a great event.