It sounds like the stuff of nightmares - you dream you’ve gone to work, and suddenly you’re sitting at your desk and you’re naked. While most people would wake up screaming at this point, business psychologist, David Taylor, is using the idea of ‘Naked Friday’ to boost team morale in flagging companies.
The theory behind this apparent madness is that by stripping off their clothes, staff also strip away their inhibitions. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Taylor asserted: ‘Inviting an organisation to go naked is the most extreme technique I’ve used… It’s the ultimate expression of trust in yourself and each other.’
He has recently tested the idea in Newcastle, at design and marketing firm onebestway where six staff had been made redundant and team spirit was at an all-time low. Despite some understandable reluctance, most members of the team eventually felt confident enough to bare all to their colleagues. Sam Jackson, the house manager, was the only woman to do so, saying: ‘We weren’t put under pressure… The first few steps were very nerve-racking, but… we found we were much more able to talk to each other honestly. The company has improved massively.’
So an interesting team-building technique. But personally, I will be acting in a much cheerier way from now on and crossing my fingers that the XpertHR team spirit remains as upbeat as ever.
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Comments (3)
It seems amazing that whoever runs the company decided they needed to sack six members of staff to save money, but had enough in the coffers to pay a "business psychologist" to spend a week convincing the staff to go to work naked.
Said business psychologist's particular line of bullshit brings to mind the wisdom of The Sphinx, which can be enjoyed without taking your clothes off here.
Posted by Luke Smith | July 2, 2009 2:46 PM
Posted on July 2, 2009 14:46
Meanwhile Brooksville Florida goes to the opposite extreme. There "no underwear means no job..." Not sure who does the checking.
Posted by Jo Stubbs | July 3, 2009 6:52 AM
Posted on July 3, 2009 06:52
Hot on the heels of naked Fridays - naked in-flight safety briefings!
Posted by Jo Stubbs | July 3, 2009 7:00 AM
Posted on July 3, 2009 07:00