Fortune magazine last month published the top 100 companies to work for in the US- and Google was #1 for the second year in a row. Last Saturday, the topic of the Modern Business Topics class was corporate culture. As an example of how to keep employees happy (and productive), we 
explored Google’s odd Googleplex in California. In addition to this, we explored Taiwan’s corporate culture and employee satisfaction. It seems that as for companies here in Taiwan, employers are more 
concerned with having employees that are productive (and willing to work lots of free overtime) and do not care about their employees’ happiness, but just see them mainly as replaceable. The idea that a happy employee is a productive employee is not understood by the local company model, for the most part. Google’s odd lifestyle with its interesting activity spaces, including massage, cafeterias- 3 
free meals a day, gym and sport facilities, plus game rooms and being pet friendly is incongruous with Taiwan’s corporate environment. The idea that workers could telecommute, or have flextime seems unacceptable. On the other hand, international companies or large multinationals here in Taiwan have a more employee-centered idea of office life. In one case, free massage for employees and a full-time Barista (coffee lady) make life in the office a lot more pleasant. For improvements to their current jobs, many voiced the idea of longer (paid) vacations. Who wouldn’t want more vacation time! For more info about the Googleplex, see the articles: Time’s Photo Essay, Thomas Ra’s Blog 
explored Google’s odd Googleplex in California. In addition to this, we explored Taiwan’s corporate culture and employee satisfaction. It seems that as for companies here in Taiwan, employers are more 
concerned with having employees that are productive (and willing to work lots of free overtime) and do not care about their employees’ happiness, but just see them mainly as replaceable. The idea that a happy employee is a productive employee is not understood by the local company model, for the most part. Google’s odd lifestyle with its interesting activity spaces, including massage, cafeterias- 3 
free meals a day, gym and sport facilities, plus game rooms and being pet friendly is incongruous with Taiwan’s corporate environment. The idea that workers could telecommute, or have flextime seems unacceptable. On the other hand, international companies or large multinationals here in Taiwan have a more employee-centered idea of office life. In one case, free massage for employees and a full-time Barista (coffee lady) make life in the office a lot more pleasant. For improvements to their current jobs, many voiced the idea of longer (paid) vacations. Who wouldn’t want more vacation time! For more info about the Googleplex, see the articles: Time’s Photo Essay, Thomas Ra’s Blog 
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