Employee-owners do it better: David Erdal at TEDxGlasgow

Treat people as servants, as most companies do, and they behave like servants, David Erdal demonstrates. They work with less than full commitment, and achieve far less than they could. Treat them as partners, sharing information, wealth and influence -- including electing the board and the CEO -- and they perform out of their skins. Their working lives become more productive, their companies do better, and they themselves become happier.
More about David...
David Erdal's lifelong passion to transform the ownership of business, making working life more rewarding for everyone, came from the experience of leading his family's 1,500-employee papermill into all-employee ownership. He has helped dozens of businesses make that transformation, and advised companies in Slovenia, China, Zimbabwe and South Africa. His book Beyond the Corporation: Humanity Working argues passionately, illuminated by examples from around the world, that employee-ownership is the way forward. The book has been praised by economists, businessmen, journalists, academics and also by the literary editor of the Scotsman, who made it his business book of 2011 -- the only business book he'd ever finished.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@atherahmed6397]

wth? the video ended mid-sentence. it seemed like there was a lot more he was going to say, then it just

[@JuricaSaponja]

Corporate overlords...

[@JessicaSideways]

I like how Valve treats it's employees. That's really inspiring the model I'm using to start my company.

[@trombone7]

Thx for the tip. I'm looking into Valve's business model.

[@dionbridger5944]

How did it work out?

[@CousinJesse1]

Did you launch your company?

[@slmccracken]

I reluctantly gave this video a thumbs up despite the highly questionable opening. A very unfortunate metaphor.

[@Chierushi]

Yeah I was quite disturbed by that allusion myself... and how callously he presented it with a photo and everything. I can imagine how uncomfortable that must have been for the women in the audience... they are workers too! Maybe it was the shock value but I will say the metaphor did open my eyes to see the standard top-down capitalist hierarchy as inherently exploitative and coercive of employees, rather than coincidentally. I agree that employment should be voluntary! But yes, very unfortunate and detached metaphor to drive that point home. Next time, mr david, let's hear a metaphor from your own life experience of abuse, not someone else's!

[@jc6226]

one of the best talks i have seen

[@bethanyhunt2704]

Check out Richard Wolff as well - another great advocate of worker ownership - also called workplace democracy.

[@seedyoda5714]

Also called socialism

[@bouipozz]

@@seedyoda5714 ssshhhh dont let the capitalists hear you say that ;)

[@smrki1]

Great!

[@SMDesignNZ]

This is great. I believe in people and giving them opportunities. They will most often step up to the challenge. Look at how Google and Facebook treat their employees.

[@bouipozz]

If only they didnt treat their service users the way a parasite treats its host

[@jeddavis6442]

Very interesting talk, but in this scenario, who provides the risk capital? Is that risk distributed as well?

[@Ecosentidos]

Jed Davis of course the risk is distributed!

[@lindontilson471]

In many cases the government will invest , especially considering the subsidies they offer to private companies at the moment

[@sergioernestoolea3933]

How about at the beginning of the venture though? When there is only risk?

[@ponrajk22]

Makes more sense.

[@tombarmann3468]

People who do not work for an Employee Owned Company (ESOP) can understand the culture.

[@trishahopkins6574]

John Lewis ✊ Waitrose ✊! This video is bloody interesting - shame it stops suddenly

[@Essays4College]

Is it better to be an employee rather than an entrepreneur?

[@Essays4College]

@FilmNitrate ?

[@greenleafyman1028]

As an entrepreneur, if you're happy with you current life as an employee, yes. If you want to make more money, try being a small entrepreneur by running a small business but always remember the risk.