Liberty and Dependence in the Workplace

If libertarianism is defined at its core by its commitment to maximizing individual freedom, than a failure to apply that standard in the workplace demonstrates that libertarianism fails to live up to its own moral standard.

That’s from this thought-provoking post on private sector abridgments to freedom via Bleeding Heart Libertarians. As a liberty-loving employer, this is something I think about a lot.

Work should be liberating, not enslaving. That idea is what attracts me to Results Only Work Environments, and it’s why I’m always encouraging folks to either start their own businesses or to pursue a path with companies who value their employees’ freedom and well-being.

But freedom is a slippery concept. Freedom’s antithesis is slavery, and coercion isn’t the only thing that leads to slavery. Indulgence, protectionism, and nannying foster dependence — and dependence is a subtle and insidious form of slavery.

So lately, I’ve been asking myself, “What can we do to ensure that our environment is always a place where our people are able to leave, and choose to stay?”