Who Are You Bringing Into Your Organization? Part I
The world of work has changed. The rules have changed. It’s no longer the case that if an employer can pay its employees a good salary, with benefits and a retirement plan it’s enough to keep people excited about coming to work.
Today, many people are making more, they have company benefits and a retirement plan and yet, many are unhappy resisting the urge to pass by their workplace entrance every morning because it’s their least favorite place to be.
The boss complains that people don’t want to come to work, much less do the work they are paid to do. Yet there is a silent epidemic that exists in that same workplace. The boss who is complaining about people not wanting to be at work doesn’t want to be there either.
So what is the common game plan? Pull out the old organizational chart and move people around to different positions or departments and see how that pans out. Then, if it doesn’t work upgrade the processes and systems in the SOP manual and figure that should do the trick.
After a while, the baffled look emerges because people are still despondent. Next, the question arises, “What’s wrong with these people?” They have good wages, benefits, a retirement plan (for now) and an upgraded SOP manual?
The the final straw: all the managers and leaders are enrolled into a seminar on how to remember to pat people on the back, say something nice and remember to develop the habit to say your daily good morning greetings to all employees.
When that doesn’t work, the immediate conclusion is drawn, people are just lazy and don’t want to work. But, is that really the case or is it a totally different issue that is going unaddressed?
In situations similar to this one there are underlining and unaddressed issues that are often permeating the organization. Let’s face it, people do not get up out of their beds every morning wanting to feel poorly about their workplace and the people they work with.
Whether an organization is just beginning to see this sort of trend or whether this trend has been embedded in the culture for a while, there is a solution to improving the morale, performance and the spirit of the organization.
The real issues must be addressed and it must begin with looking at who you are bringing to the organization and how it contributes to the spirit of work in the workplace. Does the spirit of the workplace have a bearing on an organization’s morale and its bottom line? Absolutely! But, it does not have to remain a major issue. For every problem there is a solution and this situation is no different. To be continued…
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October 21st, 2008 at 12:51 pm
This is so true. Staying true to who we are and what are values are is what really makes us happy. As a vocational counselor I use to ask people what their skills were and what their interest were. Then one day I realized that what I should be asking people is about themselves and their values. I love my job and get excited about being a Life Coach because I value relationships, holding people in a safe spot to explore and helping people moving forward. What a joy it is when we find happiness in something we get paid for.
October 20th, 2010 at 10:39 am
I enjoyed reading your article. You are so right in your assessment of the situation. Going to work is a lot more than the benefits and salary. Work has a lot to do with “feeling you are making a genuine contribution to the organization” and shown some appreciation now and then. From my conversations with people regarding their jobs, it always pan out to be how they feel when they are at work versus the games bosses play with workers’ emotions just to make their (bosses) day go by feeling empowered when a worker is troubled or feeling low.
What I find distasteful is how bosses play one worker against another for their own personal pleasure which ultimately break down the wall of trust especially when messages and perceptions of co-workers is “you are number one on the boss’s list of most disliked individuals”. Now that can kill your joy which stiffles your creativity.