> to oppressively optimize profitability at the expense of human happiness
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> Through these new means, companies have found, for example, that workers are more productive if they have more social interaction. So a bank’s call center introduced a shared 15-minute coffee break, and a pharmaceutical company replaced coffee makers used by a few marketing workers with a larger cafe area. The result? Increased sales and less turnover.
In that instance it sounds like adding a 15 minute break would make employees happier, a possible contributing factor to reduced turnover. Optimizing doesn't necessarily put them at odds with happiness - decreasing happiness would increase turnover.
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> Through these new means, companies have found, for example, that workers are more productive if they have more social interaction. So a bank’s call center introduced a shared 15-minute coffee break, and a pharmaceutical company replaced coffee makers used by a few marketing workers with a larger cafe area. The result? Increased sales and less turnover.
In that instance it sounds like adding a 15 minute break would make employees happier, a possible contributing factor to reduced turnover. Optimizing doesn't necessarily put them at odds with happiness - decreasing happiness would increase turnover.