In spite of a forest's worth of academic papers and rafts of best practices published by the likes of HBR on the importance of the "soft" stuff, most companies continue to treat people as inputs in a production line. I've had leaders ask me if this "people engagement thing" is something that can be added on, after the core business stuff is done, sort of like adding frosting to a cupcake.
And I. Can't. Believe. It.
Are we still having this conversation, really?
We know our economy has shifted away from mostly producing things . It makes no sense in such a landscape to keep talking about people as if people are disposable, replaceable, cogs in the mix.
This got me thinking about the impact and role of women in the workplace. To most women, it's second nature to consider our employees, customers and coworkers (and yes, even bosses) as "only human". We understand that each individual has strengths, weaknesses, and unique contributions to make. We view these people as PEOPLE, rather than cogs, or dare I say it, "human resources". Think about the term "human resources" for a moment, if you will. A company has lots of resources: computers, desks, real estate, intellectual property, and so on. But the difference between the people of the company and these resources is key: people are not property. People are human; we're individuals, we have lives outside of work (hopefully); we juggle many things throughout the course of our 24 hours every day. We have hopes, dreams, attitudes, prejudices, preferences, and independent thoughts.
Where I think so many companies miss the mark by a mile is ignoring these resources, or worse, treating them like so much chattel. We're not a product. We're not automatons. We're capable of stretching, growing, and contributing to many facets of organizational excellence outside of our strict job descriptions. An engaged and empowered employee can change the entire landscape of a company, whether their job description is Mailroom Supervisor, or VP of Sales. Nilofer goes on to state the following:
There's plenty of empirical data to support this strategic direction. Gallup, the research firm, recently did a meta-analysis across 199 studies covering 152 organizations, 44 industries, and 26 countries. It showed that high employee engagement brings an uplift of every business performance number. Profitability up 16%, Productivity up 18%, customer loyalty up 12% and quality up an incredible 60%.
We know that life is not just about efficiency. So why do we resist the idea that work can be about greatness?
So this morning, I'd like to challenge you: no matter what your job description or title, whether it's Mommy, CEO, jobseeker, or anything in between...let's strive for FULL engagement. Really think outside the realm of your normal everyday duties. Go the extra mile and come up with an idea--and then just make it happen. Maybe that involves taking the kids to a cultural event they've never before encountered. Maybe it involves adding a new Coke machine to the 3rd floor of your building so people won't have to waste ten minutes waiting for the slow elevator to get to the one on the 1st floor. Maybe it means crafting a new way of leaving voice mail messages when you cold call a prospect. Maybe it means networking in a brand new way, to strive for your dream job. Whatever it is, believe in it, own it, evangelize it. This is the first step toward not only becoming fully engaged at work, but also making yourself indispensable to the company and your coworkers (and hopefully, clients!).
Let's get out there and make something happen today!
If you'd like to follow Nilofer on Twitter, by the way, she's @nilofer. I recommend it!
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