On Tuesday 28 August 2007 the anniversary of the day Martin Luther King gave his ‘I had a dream’ speech, the widely anticipated new book ‘Change the World 9 to 5’ will launch.
The new book follows on from the Australian bestseller, ‘Change the World for Ten Bucks’, outlines 50 small actions people can make during the working day to help make the world a better place. The formula is simple: small changes x lots of people = BIG change.
Australians are being challenged to take on the UK (where the book has already launched) and show the world that Australians can be the drivers of change.
Eliza Anderson, Australian spokesperson for the movement We Are What We Do who are behind the book says, “Change the World from 9 to 5 was released in the UK 10 months ago and since launch 135,000 work actions have been recorded by Brits - so on average 13,500 actions a month. We believe Australians can do even better!
“We’re encouraging as many Aussies as possible to take up the Change the World 9 to 5 Challenge and register the actions they undertake at www.wearewhatwedo.org.au. A national tally will be displayed on the website’s homepage, so all Australians can keep track of progress. If every working adult completed just one action over the next month, we’re confident we’d show the world that Australia is leading the way in positive change for the future.”
The actions highlighted in the book are as simple as making a coffee for someone busier than you, through to calculating your carbon footprint.
Eliza explains, “The actions in the new book were compiled from suggestions made by people from all walks of life who wrote into us following the launch of the original book in 2004.”
Other inspiring actions in the new book (which build on the actions in the original book) include:
Action 75: Be nice to temps
Action 81: Challenge your business about its ‘lights on at night’ policy
Action 89: Ring the IT desk just to see how they are
Action 93: Don’t judge someone by the job they do
Action 96: Blow the whistle on workplace bullies
Amy Smith, who is the CEO of JWT Australia and New Zealand and who has been involved with the movement We Are What We Do since it first launched in the UK says, “The 130 staff at JWT have really got behind the launch of Change the World 9 to 5 and have started to undertake actions (from the book) to make our workplace an even more enjoyable and inspiring place. For example, we’ve decided to implement Action 83 and grant each employee a doona day one day a year, after the staff lobbied us! However, actions undertaken can be as little or as big as individuals and management choose.”
“I’d encourage companies right around Australia, to get involved in the ‘Change the World 9 to 5 Challenge’. It’s a great way to engage staff and demonstrate to the wider community that your company does care. For many of us, work is where we spend a good portion of our lives, so if we each try and make this world happy during the working day, then we’re on the way to making the world a better place!”
‘Change the World from 9 to 5’ is available for purchase from The Big Issue vendors, who keep a portion of the retail price, online at www.wearewhatwedo.org.au and all good bookstores for $12.95.