Passion policy

It seems to be slowly starting to catch on at forward-thinking tech and design companies to allow employees a certain amount of time each week/month to work on passion projects or self-driven initiatives.

I was introduced to the concept several years ago when I heard the founders of The Heads of State speak at a design conference. No-code innovator Webflow has a similar policy, and Google used to have a 20% time policy that produced Gmail, Google Maps, and Adsense among other highly successful and profitable products.

It's a policy that allows employees to bring more of themselves to work, and I think it's a great way to tap into bottom-up innovation. Fast Company published a piece a few years ago touting boosts in employee creativity, enthusiasm, and efficiency.

Innovation has become a buzzword in recent years, and it's a nice thought but an empty sentiment without the culture and systems in place to embrace and encourage it.

The most innovative breakthroughs often come from those of us in the trenches.

All I can say is, I hope this policy catches on as quickly as open-concept office spaces.