Pim de Morree & Joost Minnaar

Pim de Morree and Joost Minnaar decided to quit their jobs and set off on a mission to travel the world, meeting and learning from pioneers in workplace wellbeing and happiness–ticking off the heroes on their Bucket List as they go.

Why does the world need a work revolution? (In other words: the way we’re working isn’t working. Why not?)
Because the way we work is outdated, uninspiring, and making people unhappy.

How are you or your organization reinventing work in some way (big or small)?
We started Corporate Rebels out of personal frustration. Two years into our promising careers we found ourselves uninspired and unfulfilled. Monday through Friday was just a long and boring wait for the weekend. There was no way we could continue doing what we did for 40 more years. That’s when we decided to quit our jobs and start our search for the world’s most inspiring workplaces. What started as a personal journey, evolved into a worldwide search for happiness at work. Currently we visit the most progressive organisations, learn about their unique approaches, and share everything we learn through our blog and through talks and workshops around the world.

What’s one tangible and concrete technique other organizations should use if they want to create a more human and/or meaningful place to work?
The simplest and (unfortunately) least practiced technique is simply listening to employees. We see time and time again that the best companies to work for are the ones that actively listen to what their employees want. Whether it’s in terms of how to do business or how to run their organization. Not only does this make them feel valued, it also leverages the combined intelligence. The idea that the CEO knows things better than his employees is outdated (even if it ever was applicable).

Provide a quote (either yours or someone else’s) that you live by and/or that represents why you do what you do. Also tell us: why did you choose it?
Jean Francois Zobrist, former CEO of FAVI, once famously said: “I strongly believe that there are no universal models, as there are no models to animate a collective. What can be done is to listen to testimonies and get inspiration from them.” This resonates with our mission to share the most unique stories we encounter as a source of inspiration, not as a blueprint for your own organization. Because it’s our experience that there is definitely no one-size-fits-all model to create an inspiring workplaces.

What is “required reading” or “required viewing” for people who want to understand what makes you tick personally/professionally/creatively?
Maverick by Ricardo Semler is a must read for everyone searching for workplace innovation. The book was the major source of inspiration for our journey and Ricardo is still our biggest hero on the list.

What’s one surprising thing we should know about you?
We are both engineers by training and surprisingly ended up in this field by a dangerous combination of personal frustration and bold impulsiveness.

What does your preferred work environment look like?
During our travels we visit workplaces around the world and often work ‘on the road’ for weeks in a row. In those moments our work environment is vibrant and is changing by the day, exactly what we prefer.

Where in the world are you?
The Netherlands

How can people connect with you?
Corporate Rebels
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