A healthy organization...

Ok, now I have another book to add to my list of things to read thanks to this entry from "Information Wants to be Free": How healthy is your organization?. Meredith talks about a book that really seems to touch on a subject "near and dear to my heart". She's reading the book, First, Break All the Rules and provides a list of 12 criteria of a healthy comfortable and happy workplace for employees:

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for good work?
5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel like my work is important?
9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?
10. Do I have a best friend at work?
11. In the last six months, have I talked with someone about my progress?
12. At work, have I had the opportunities to learn and grow?

I am currently working in an environment that pretty much covers each of the 12 points listed, at least as far as I want it too. (Numbers 4 and 10 are a pushing it a little: I don't know if I regularly do something particularly praise-worthy EVERY week, and I don't really need a BEST friend at work when a bunch of good friends will do... lol) And comparing it to previous environments I've been in, this is absolutely heaven. When you have the tools, the support and the team to get this done right, you can't help but want to do the best you can.