How nice that no American citizens would want to clean offices and earn $21 per hour.
Great story! It was really nice to see a business-model that focused on paying higher wages to retain talented workers who can in turn build trust and long-term relationships with companies. I think it was brilliant to start by "cleaning offices" as this not only gives a daily revenue stream, but also gives a daily opportunity to build and establish trust through repeated interactions.
However, the article mentioned the temptation of managers in large companies to obtain "short-term" profitability by cutting wages by $1. That might also be a problem for "Managed by Q" as it expands and gets bigger.
However, the article mentioned the temptation of managers in large companies to obtain "short-term" profitability by cutting wages by $1. That might also be a problem for "Managed by Q" as it expands and gets bigger.
Here is the business model that served the nation well during and post WWII. Then vulture capitalism raised its ugly head putting short term gain over long term viability. As an executive in public and private firms, I saw public companies knowingly make bad decisions for short-term goals. A good company has a long term vision which is seldom seen in the US corporate model.
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This idea has high value for developing countries. Thanks for the article.
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I can't but respect this gentleman. He is going for a win-win version of capitalism that can indeed exist -- if investors are willing to put off short-term gains for long-term strength of profitability.
Sadly, today's big-money investors seem so dedicated to as much yield as possible, as quickly possible, and as quick a turnover as possible, I'm not sure that they would find the proposition attractive. I have friends who work at PE-owned companies, and their stories are disheartening.
So good luck to him; it's a sound, long-term business model that'll work well for all. I just wonder how many investors today care about that sort of thing.
Sadly, today's big-money investors seem so dedicated to as much yield as possible, as quickly possible, and as quick a turnover as possible, I'm not sure that they would find the proposition attractive. I have friends who work at PE-owned companies, and their stories are disheartening.
So good luck to him; it's a sound, long-term business model that'll work well for all. I just wonder how many investors today care about that sort of thing.
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I enjoyed reading Ms. Ton's book and am glad to see more firms trying the strategy. Success could make a tremendous difference for a lot of people who, for whatever reason, do not specialize in IT, health care, law, or finance.
I'm still reading the "good jobs" segment, but questions come to mind.
How is the employer able to knowingly employ an illegal immigrant? Is the employee filing tax returns? Why hire an illegal immigrant over a legal immigrant or a citizen?
How is the employer able to knowingly employ an illegal immigrant? Is the employee filing tax returns? Why hire an illegal immigrant over a legal immigrant or a citizen?
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Every single worker, regardless of pay or background or ethnicity or gender or race, deserves dignity. It is tragic to see so many manipulated by their employers and comforting to find the exceptions.
We need leaders in business and politics who will put the pressure on to keep wages, benefits, hours, and working conditions ethical.
We need leaders in business and politics who will put the pressure on to keep wages, benefits, hours, and working conditions ethical.
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Seems like a wonderful idea.
It's really shameful when US citizens or permanent green card holders get shafted get again. I am sure there are many legal people who could have been hired instead of yet another illegal immigrant. There are too many people looking for work who have their papers and are met with a brick wall of excuses.
It is amazing how illegals benefit from a system they take from not contribute to. Just in Garcia's situation there are three employment opportunities that have been taken....none of these people are paying taxes.
I wonder if I sneak into Mexico illegally if I could post my picture in their most circulated publication discussing how I took a job a legal Mexican should have had. I bet the answer is a loud and clear NO.
It's really shameful when US citizens or permanent green card holders get shafted get again. I am sure there are many legal people who could have been hired instead of yet another illegal immigrant. There are too many people looking for work who have their papers and are met with a brick wall of excuses.
It is amazing how illegals benefit from a system they take from not contribute to. Just in Garcia's situation there are three employment opportunities that have been taken....none of these people are paying taxes.
I wonder if I sneak into Mexico illegally if I could post my picture in their most circulated publication discussing how I took a job a legal Mexican should have had. I bet the answer is a loud and clear NO.
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This is exactly the kind of story the NYT needs more of.
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Keep writing. Keep pushing. Things will change. #LaborLawyer
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More power to far-sighted businessmen like Dan Teran! And thank heavens that there are professors like Baumol who are bold enough to postulate theories that go against the "common sense" paradigms espoused by "conservative free-enterprisers"...
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If you work late in your Silicon Valley Tech cubical you meet the people that come in at 10PM to empty the waste baskets, and vacuum the floors. They look like people doing slave labor. They won't look at you and they won't talk to you. Even if you can talk to them
I am an American born, white, engineer, that works for months at a time with local Network engineers in South America. I speak 4 fluent dialects of South American Spanish (and others not so well) and have lived/worked in Argentina, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Columbia and Brazil (which speaks Portuguese that I still have to parse in Spanish).
When I am those countries the people enjoy (understatement) talking with me.
I can speak to these contract cleanup people in a reasonable version of their Spanish dialect. I can talk about being in cities I lived in, that they came from.
They are still so cowed, that they will not talk to me. This is profoundly disturbing.
I am an American born, white, engineer, that works for months at a time with local Network engineers in South America. I speak 4 fluent dialects of South American Spanish (and others not so well) and have lived/worked in Argentina, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Columbia and Brazil (which speaks Portuguese that I still have to parse in Spanish).
When I am those countries the people enjoy (understatement) talking with me.
I can speak to these contract cleanup people in a reasonable version of their Spanish dialect. I can talk about being in cities I lived in, that they came from.
They are still so cowed, that they will not talk to me. This is profoundly disturbing.
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I don't speak much Spanish but I've talk in English to the cleaning staff in positions where I worked late or odd hours. They usually talk back to me. It might be that, friendly as you are, they are intimidated simply by who you are. I'm a short Asian-American woman who looks young for her age so there is no intimidation factor in that way for them despite my position. I'm also invariably the person people, when lost, ask for directions from.
Other factors are some of them may just want to concentrate on working and get done quickly, some just have quiet personalities, they don't speak Spanish well and would rather speak English (my aunt takes Spanish classes with some people from Mexico who speak their native dialects but not Spanish), etc. Finally, some may very well be undocumented and NOT able to work legally and just want to keep to themselves.
Other factors are some of them may just want to concentrate on working and get done quickly, some just have quiet personalities, they don't speak Spanish well and would rather speak English (my aunt takes Spanish classes with some people from Mexico who speak their native dialects but not Spanish), etc. Finally, some may very well be undocumented and NOT able to work legally and just want to keep to themselves.
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Phenomenal !
This is what the 'dignity of work' is all about...
Kudos to all involved !!
This is what the 'dignity of work' is all about...
Kudos to all involved !!
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Somewhat "old" thinking, you know, those "good old days" your grandfather spoke of where there was Loyalty between employer and employee, where employee was seen as an asset rather than an expensive cog?
'Tis a generalization, sure, but many lower paid jobs are run in this manner, e.g. most restaurants. New some chefs back when I played chef myself who did the very thing mentioned in this article: scrapped the minimum wage for salaried cook positions, added in insurance, and a few perks. Suddenly, turnover was almost nonexistent. Employee behavior improved; efficiency improved.
It isn't rocket science, but it does take work and dedication from the employer to treat employees well. Generally, the employees will do all they can to take care of their employer too.
'Tis a generalization, sure, but many lower paid jobs are run in this manner, e.g. most restaurants. New some chefs back when I played chef myself who did the very thing mentioned in this article: scrapped the minimum wage for salaried cook positions, added in insurance, and a few perks. Suddenly, turnover was almost nonexistent. Employee behavior improved; efficiency improved.
It isn't rocket science, but it does take work and dedication from the employer to treat employees well. Generally, the employees will do all they can to take care of their employer too.
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Specious start. It's not the speed of the playing. It's the number of people you can get to hear it.
Can't get past the second paragraph after barely making it through the straw man of the first. Do you really think that we will not be having automated cleaning in 20 years if we have automated cars in 10? What are people, non rocket science people, going to do to eat? It won't be cleaning.
Can anyone say with a straight face that an American Citizen wouldn't clean offices for $15 an hour?
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Best article in the issue. And, not that surprisingly, one of several which reveal that 'enthusiasm and optimism' can be the key to a good team, a good meeting, a good colleague... I hope many will take it to heart come Monday morning, both in how they themselves act and in valuing colleagues who bring those qualities to their work experience. I know I will.
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Life changing business model. Would be interested in learning more about their hiring process regarding optimism and empathy.
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