Work as we see it

Humans – after embracing globalization are now muddled with the mad rush of their daily chores that they seldom ponder on the reasons for this hustle bustle. But a few from the lot having clicked the pause button to enlighten themselves for the reason “ Why we work” and have  realized that one size doesn’t fit all and the answers to this question are umpteen. A few of them cited are

1. We work to make our parents proud though they’ve told us a gazillion times they’re proud of us
2. We work to rejuvenate ourselves from those lazy weekends
3. We work because we don’t mind lazing around like a couch potato over the weekends 
4. We go to work to hear the chuckles of the receptionist with our silly jokes
5. We go to work because an appreciation mail from someone we haven’t met brightens our day
6. We work because we like to walk into an office we have made ourselves, the colorful photographs, smileys , certificates and mementos
7. We work because work has been the place where we’ve made the best of friends over the years
8. We go to work to shout out loud an energizer in those standup meetings
9. We go to work because we like the thrill of beating a deadline
10. We go to work to feel enabled that we can do a lot that others don’t know how to
11. We work because we like the inky smell of business cards that have our names printed on it
12. We go to work because there’s someone waiting to hear and I’m assured I’m not an island
13. We work for the satisfaction of teaching someone how to close a deal or close an open incident
14. We work because we love attending seminars and presentations with our names written on plastic badges that tells us that we are professionals who are cared for
15. We work to see the things we’ve imagined manifest before our eyes
16. We go to work to hear others clap for our accomplishments
17. We go to work to meet our daily needs
18. We work to see the remuneration graph grow exponentially
19. We work to absorb the knowledge that others generously like to share

Despite the several reasons mentioned above the common thread binding them is that people don’t come to work to only see the company’s shares rise but come for more personal reasons – like friendship, ownership, affiliation and accomplishment. These drivers that gives us a sense of purpose for all the efforts put forth need to be nurtured and supported by individuals and stakeholders within the organization. Being sensitive to these needs helps foster an amicable, secure, profitable and fulfilling environment giving us a stronger reason to embrace globalization sparing us the danger of oblivion.  

“Loathing and seething employees “

What dawns a threat to industries today? a contagious virus travelling at the velocity of light sapping the bigwigs off their tireless efforts in reaching the pinnacle of success. The answer to this dreading question is the birds of their own nest- “ The Employees” . The reasons for this threat has been a question of debate through ages. Dissatisfaction amidst the masses have turned princely states to paupers, caused revolutions and brought down the curtains to flourishing businesses.

In the wake of this rising concern, organizations have sought refuge in employee engagement – breaking physical and emotional barriers blocking employee<->manager, employee< – >employee and department<-> department interactions. Despite several measures these concerns haven’t taken a back step. The carrot and stick philosophy is now an old school of thought. Adapting to contemporary measures is the need of the hour and these creative measures can only be acted upon when one dives deep into the crux of the problem. The crux is adversely affected by social, physical and psychological factors. Being sensitive to the fact that humans perceive their environment as threating and rewarding has helped corporates improve their employee satisfaction contributing to client, vendor and customer satisfaction thereby elevating the company’s rating on the business charts.  Increasing the rewards and minimizing the threats requires an insight into the Modern factors humans interpret as threat.

The various factors include

• STATUS
• CERTAINITY
• AUTONOMY
• RELATEDNESS
• FAIRNESS

Status– An unwelcoming environment fosters fear amongst employees, this environment is built by colleagues, management and other stake holders and their style of communication.  Leaders help employees fight this fear through their words and action by allowing them evaluate their behavior to perceive the environment more positively. A positive change has to be brought into the employee rather than a change in the leader. In times of despair and contemplation leaders need to create those overwhelming “aha” moments that bring about a revolution in the minds of its employees. To create these aha moments demands you’re a better listener than a speaker, an observer than a judger, a custodian of intrinsic drivers than extrinsic drivers

Certainty- Under the wraps or oblivion broadens the scope for uncertainty, restlessness and rumors. Knowing what’s next , knowing what’s expected instills confidence and open communication overcoming the barriers of working in a closed environment keeping one aloof from the rest. Especially in times of economic melt down, mergers, market corrections, performance gaps and internal growth uncertainty welcomes rage, pessimism, commotion and leads to employees taking the stairway to exit

Autonomy– Life is got its own bundle of choices, being given the freedom of choice rather than constant monitoring and micromanagement builds trust and makes one self- reliant. Autonomy requires perceiving an image of oneself that one looks up to.  Independence, accountability and ownership instills confidence and the impetus to contribute for the better

Relatedness– Familiarity breeds content and humans are on the quest for similarities. Working in isolation is not always a luxury as humans are social creatures who crave for friendship and positive interactions and employees look forward to work in teams and work with likeminded people . The onus of establishing an environment where openness in communication is encouraged lies with the leaders and this connect can be established through better relationship building amongst employees for better productivity

Fairness– The belief that your needs are cared for and your contribution is recognized overshadows the fear of being treated unfair, which causes a concern of transparency being at stake. Forums to voice your opinion, learning opportunities, challenging tasks, email or vocal appreciation within the team are other epitomes of Fairness than monetary benefits

Being sensitive to these contributing factors especially in times of transformation and investing in people’s potential can help organization surpass the exodus of disengagement that’s piling over the years. Conditioning people to be thinkers than sowers will to a larger extend reduce the menace of dissatisfaction haunting industries worldwide because minimizing threats is no longer an individual but a mutual affair

                                                                                                                     Natasha Rithin Thomas

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

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