On page 80 or page 16 on the pdf Dan Ariely speaks of a major transition that has taken place in the workplace atmosphere in America. Before, Ariely says, work was from 9 to 5 and that was it. You put in your forty hours and you got paid for it; this was your relationship with your job/ workplace. It was essentially dictated entirely by what are “market norms”. While now there has been a shift towards integration of social norms into the workplace. Work is no longer a basic 9 to 5. With technology, often company supplied, your job can follow you home after you leave and you can work from your phone, laptop or computer. Wages are also moving from hourly to monthly according to the author. Also companies in recent times have increased the number of social events they host for employees and develop a community atmosphere along with other tactics to “make you feel at home” and form a connection with co-workers, the company.

While some may view this as a good thing, as way to motivate people, give them a sense of belonging and perhaps give them a more positive experience at work I do not. I think it is contrived. A business is a business, and sure a ceo may feel passionate about providing some sort of service or product and care for his employees but at the end of the day the purpose is to make a profit. Our system of economics is capitalism and ultimately producing capital is the name of the game- and not being nice or making friends. Is a company then immoral? A company isn’t necessarily an immoral enterprise I would say, but I would also say that is the wrong question. That is the realm of social norms/values not market norms/values. If a business is doing poorly it may very well let go of workers who felt part of a “community” but no hard feeling are intended; it was the only possibility from an economic standpoint. If you are involved in some sort of scandal or make a big mistake, you will be fired, even if you were liked before.

 

In a real community of close friends and family, those around you will actually stand by you through thick and thin. If you are drug abusing junkie economic and emotional drain your family and perhaps some friends my still love and care for you (somehow). But if you provide no value to a company or worse negative value (at least if it’s obvious), you will not be working there anymore. I feel that it is disingenuous of employers to cultivate a sense of community while when it comes down to it none actually exists at best. At worst it is manipulative; a way to get people to invest “non work” hours working, make sacrifices often letting down their friends and family at home, and often consuming their lives. They develop an emotional connect and loyalty with an entity that was never or should never have been intended to do so. Because in a business money trumps friendship.. pretty much everything.  They tap into human nature and misappropriate our emotions to serve financial gain and if it doesn’t work out they have no choice but to drop you.

 

In conclusion it would be better to keep the social and work environments separate. Market norms should more or less stay out of the social sphere and vice versa.