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I am almost done reading Elsewhere, USA by Dalton Conley, and am finding the book to be teeming with interesting observations on how 21st century living blurs the distinctions between work and family life, public and private space, and leisure and work (the blurring of which Conley coins, “weisure.”) Conley discusses the causes in depth (e.g., entrance of women in the workforce and technological advances), as well as the outcome for middle- and upper-class American workers (e.g., increased economic anxiety and an ever-growing sense that one should always be working.)

In an effort to illustrate this blending and boundary-less living, Conley focuses on Google, a model of a modern day employer who, by its own admission, intends to blur these work and family lines. Google’s goal: to have a VERY productive workforce. As Google CEO Eric Schmidt has said outright, “The goal is to strip away everything that gets in our employees’ way.  Let’s face it: programmers want to program, they don’t want to do their laundry.  So we make it easier for them to do both.”

Conley details many of the ways in which Google blurs these lines by affording its employees a workplace in which they can eat, socialize, recreate, errand-run, and yes, work.  Among some of Google’s offering, according to Conley, are the following:

• A college campus type workplace, with a fun name, “Googleplex”;
• Gatherings of professionals called “un-conferences”, where large groups of employees meet but the events are unscripted;
• Free talks, including one by a magician;
• Free bikes to get from one location to another;
• Complimentary food and beverages to employees and guests, including family members, during weekdays AND weekends.  Google offers a wide array of food choices, including a cafeteria that serves vegan food, a  smoothie bar, and free mini-kitchen use;
• Ability for employees to bring their children (to visit, but not to stay) and dogs to work (to stay);
• Complimentary gym/exercise equipment use;
• Laundry and dry cleaning services, and washers/dryers located in the basements of select buildings;
• Field hockey games twice a week on “campus”;
• Piano, pinball, video arcade games, foosball, and snack stands;
• Massage services;
• Free shuttle bus (with WiFi, so that employees can work on their commute) to and from certain lower-cost neighborhoods; and
• An herb and tomato garden growing in the main outdoor area.

Is this YOUR answer to work and family balance– blend and blur? Does this purposeful blurring and integrating of work and family by Google seem more palatable than the work and family juggle you experience? We would love to hear your thoughts.

• Organizations , Spillover , Workplace