Pike Place Fish Market

Choosing one’s attitude, playing at work, making someone’s day, and Being present.

As Egyptian employees working in different kinds of companies and different industries, the first thing that comes to our minds when someone mentions ”work”  is ”routine”.  Yet there is few companies that started to adopt the change in behavior and attitudes of employees inside the workplace but most of the companies still working with the same old mindset. In this blog we are taking you to a whole different workplace somewhere else in the universe who took the change of attitude to a whole different level.

Country: United States of America

State: Seattle, Washington.

Company / workplace: Pike Place Fish Market

Pike Place Fish Market is one of the most famous fish markets in the world as a fish market and as a workplace, Because of it a technique had been invented to make individuals alert and active in the workplace called the ”Fish Philosophy”. John Christensen created this philosophy in 1998 to improve “organizational culture”. Its central four ideas, which have been adopted at some companies and schools, are:

1. choosing one’s attitude,
2. playing at work,
3. making someone’s day, and
4. Being present.

A book entitled ”Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results”, by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen was written about the same philosophy inspired by that fish market.

The interesting fact about that market is: its employees, you can imagine how boring, smelly, annoying is it to work in a fish market. But Pike fish market is not that kind of markets, once you step in you will notice how happy and active all the workers are. you will see them tossing trout and salmon through the air of the market providing high energy which energized many pedestrians passing by on their lunch breaks. And despite being energetic, loud and happy they are still organized. They give their complete attention to each customer and ensure each had an enjoyable visit.

It’s not too late to spread the fish philosophy in your company; many companies in the Middle East started to work with it and witnessed the change especially in Dubai, Also worldwide the fish philosophy training became more common due to its effectiveness in the productivity of the employees, positive attitudes, less time in achieving targets, low rate of turnover, employees loyalty and simplicity at making things done.

The Pike Place fish Market