IN Work Ethos

Work doesn’t need to be dull. A West Perth business has taken a leaf out of Google’s book and is a perfect example of working hard and playing hard.

The next time you see a group of blokes walking through West Perth in pyjamas and Mickey Mouse slippers or dressed as superheroes, check out if they’re smiling. Then make sure you ask if you can snap a picture with them – because that will make you smile.

Pyjama Monday is just one of the creative management techniques Matt Lambie and his business partner Adam Fitzgerald have endorsed for their custom software company, The Frontier Group.

Matt, the group’s chief information officer, has been friends with Adam, the company’s CEO, for 13 years. They met at university, decided to start a business and the first person they employed was a uni friend.

When they started The Frontier Group in their share house, they were clear they wanted a certain aesthetic and culture which would make them want to work and go to work. The result is a company philosophy which uses some unusual techniques but equally demands a standard of work excellence.

“A big part of how we have set up the office is what people in this industry expect,” says Matt. At 30, he’s one of the oldest in the office, with most of the 22 employees being in their early to mid-20s.

“We don’t have the same budget as Google and I was lucky enough to visit their offices and it’s as crazy as you hear about – people working in tepees or with stars hanging over their desks.”

The Frontier Group’s translation of that includes having an open-plan office, regularly having two programmers work on a project simultaneously with two keyboards, daily meetings standing in the round to discuss yesterday’s work or problems and even advice from the in-house stylist. They do charity and pro bono work and on Friday afternoons everyone can work on a project of their choice, but the catch is that it must be potentially beneficial to someone.

Matt says they have proven that if you demand creativity and productivity from your people, then they must have an environment in which to thrive. Punching a time card and grinding away lacks inspiration and lifestyle.

“We don’t want our people here all night and on weekends. It has to be a great place to go to work but you have to want to leave too. We’ve tried to balance it. I think our culture is quite tangible. It’s partly because we wanted to build something we’re proud of but also because we want to come to the office, so it had to be a cool place.”

Of primary importance of course is that every quirky thing they do serves to support impressive and innovative work, not detract from it.

“We don’t have to crack the whip and I completely trust people to do what they need to do. It’s great that the staff really are embodying the whole ethos. Working this way makes them happier and more creative. It makes them proud and gives them a sense of identity.

“The benefit is that they get up in the morning and want to be here. In this day and age there are a lot of offices you can’t say that about.”