“THE INTERNSHIP”, a film about two middle-aged no-hopers who land work experience at Google, is a dire offering even by the standards of Hollywood summer comedies. But it does get one thing right: that it is rather absurd for a technology firm to provide slides for staff to play on, and to let them wear silly propeller-hats. Google is not alone in its juvenile tastes. Box, a Silicon Valley company, has installed swings in its headquarters. Red Bull, an energy-drinks firm, has a reception desk in the shape of a giant skateboard in its London office. Businesses of all types have moved towards sitting workers in groups in open-plan rooms, just like at nursery school. Time was when firms modelled themselves on the armed forces, with officers (who thought about strategy) and chains of command. Now many model themselves on learning-through-play “Montessori” schools.

电影《实习大叔》讲的是两个没有希望的中年人，在谷歌上做实习生的故事。以夏季好莱坞喜剧的标准衡量，电影内容虽然极端，但有一点是可取的：谷歌作为科技公司，让员工戴上滑稽的飞机帽，给员工提供滑板进行娱乐，这种做法是极其荒唐的。像这种“还童”的做法，并不止谷歌一家，还有Box和红牛。Box是一家硅谷公司，在总部办公室里安装了秋千。红牛是一家生产能量饮料的公司，伦敦办事处的前台是一张巨型滑板。还有很多企业都让员工围坐在无隔间的房间里办公，跟幼儿园的布局一样。曾经，公司效仿军队，设立长官（战略谋划者）和指挥体系，已经过时。现在，很多公司都在向“蒙特利梭”学校学习，模仿在玩中学的模式。