I agree that we are in a slavery state where people are forced into long hours, low pay, and little in rewards. I finally broke out of corporate America and I now have a small business. I offer options for my employees to make bonuses everyday, lots of time off, great perks, and eventually with the goal of a 30 hour work week or less :-)
It all starts with us, if we want to make things change we can.
Hi. In later essays I talk about two kinds of ways in which a business might be run. 'Lean-and-Mean' and 'Paternalistic'. Your way of running a business falls into the latter category. It is all about looking after employees, offering them various incentives beyond pay in the expectation that they will care for the company's prosperity because the company cares for them.
The other way- 'lean-and-mean', involves the company having no responsibility toward its employees other than paying a wage. All other benefits are reduced or, ideally eliminated. In short, the company does not care at all about its employees other than as commodities from which maximum value must be extracted in order to boost shareholder value.
Neither way is all good or all bad. 'Lean-and-mean' can really streamline businesses and make them more competitive. But it can go too far and lead to workers who don't give a damn about their job as the business evidently does not give a damn about them. Paternalism can provide great benefits but it can go too far and lead to businesses too bloated with bureaucracy, with employees who are overly-entitled and other handicaps in a competitive environment.