WORKING: In Their Comfy Zone

The corporate culture at Antharia mixes a college dorm and a dot-com: workers in pajamas, a fully stocked kitchen, dogs wandering around and plenty of toys.

And everyone leaves at 2 p.m. on Friday.

"I'm looking for the uncorporation, that's comfortable and happy for everybody," said Jordan Dossett, who started the Web development and marketing firm 14 years ago. "I embrace the odd man out."

Its 3,000-square-foot office in Lanham is open, without cubicles but with "lots of places to relax" or nap for nine employees and two or three dogs. There's table tennis, thousands of books, an employee appreciation fund and a fish tank.

Workers have a say in decisions, from which movie to see to what new benefit they want. "They vote on everything," Dossett said.

Besides the usual holidays, "we close for Earth Day, May Day and the birth of the Internet," she said.

Yet there's little overtime and clients love the fast response times. "When you make someone comfortable, their productivity shoots through the roof."

Author/Contact Information

Author/Contact: Vickie Elmer
Source: The Washington Post
URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032003752.html
Email: Vickie.Elmer@gmail.com

«BACK