The Seven-Day Weekend - Outside of a Dog

Hardcover, 256 pages

English language

Published April 11, 2004 by Portfolio Hardcover.

ISBN:: 9781591840268

(1 review)

Imagine a company where employees set their own hours; where there are no offices, no job titles, no business plans; where employees get to endorse or veto any new venture; where kids are encouraged to run the halls; and where the CEO lets other people make nearly all the decisions. This company—Semco—actually exists, and despite a seeming recipe for chaos, its revenues have grown from $35 million to $160 million in the last six years. It has virtually no staff turnover, and there are no signs that its growth will stop any time soon.

How did Semco become wildly successful despite breaking many of the commonly accepted laws of business? In The Seven-Day Weekend, Ricardo Semler shows that for those willing to take a chance, there is a better way to run a workplace. He explains how the technology that was supposed to make life easier—laptops, cell phones, e-mail, pagers—has …

Imagine a company where employees set their own hours; where there are no offices, no job titles, no business plans; where employees get to endorse or veto any new venture; where kids are encouraged to run the halls; and where the CEO lets other people make nearly all the decisions. This company—Semco—actually exists, and despite a seeming recipe for chaos, its revenues have grown from $35 million to $160 million in the last six years. It has virtually no staff turnover, and there are no signs that its growth will stop any time soon.

How did Semco become wildly successful despite breaking many of the commonly accepted laws of business? In The Seven-Day Weekend, Ricardo Semler shows that for those willing to take a chance, there is a better way to run a workplace. He explains how the technology that was supposed to make life easier—laptops, cell phones, e-mail, pagers—has in fact stolen free time and destroyed the traditional nine-to-five workday. But this can be a good thing—if you have the freedom to get your job done on your own terms and to blend your work life and personal life with enthusiasm and creative energy. Smart bosses will eventually realize that you might be most productive if you work on Sunday afternoon, play golf on Monday morning, go to a movie on Tuesday afternoon, and watch your child play soccer on Thursday.

This is a radical book that will challenge the business world to make the seven-day weekend a reality.

3 editions

Michael Gisiger 📖 reviewed The Seven-Day Weekend by Ricardo Semler

A challenging book by the OG of self-organization himself

4 stars

This book by Ricardo Semler challenges traditional management practices by promoting self-management for greater job satisfaction and productivity. Semler argues that empowering employees to manage their own work schedules and responsibilities leads to greater investment in their work and ownership of their tasks. He addresses common concerns about self-management and explains that with the right systems and culture in place, it can be highly effective. The book provides practical examples that demonstrate the success of self-management and is applicable to a wide range of organisations. Overall, it is an inspiring read that encourages a refreshing approach to management.

Subjects

Business & Management
Structure Of Industrial Organizations
Management
Business & Economics
Business / Economics / Finance
Structural Adjustment
Business/Economics
Semco (Firm)
Management - General
Business & Economics / Accounting / General
Employee empowerment
Employee participation
Industrial management
Organizational change