Do You Like What You Do Every Day?

The answer to this seemingly innocuous question from Gallup has huge implications for thriving in the workplace. Thriving is a positive state that derives from engaging in activities that both express and produce the realisation of potential. It is this positive state that creates discretionary effort and is the basis for excellence in performance.

Having engaging work, which includes activities that realise human potential, is one aspect of living the best possible work life. When such activities are congruent with employees in the workplace, then work is likeable.

Only 20% of employees strongly agree that they like what they do everyday -Gallup

If I had to ask you on a scale of 1-10 whether you like what you do everyday, what would you answer? That only 20% of employees strongly agree that they like what they do everyday should ring alarm bells for organisations. And when we pause and take stock, which seems a luxury at the moment, this is not really a surprise.

One symptom that underpins the 20% is the striving we see at work. It seems that we are generally striving to work harder and harder, with the effect that we are all very busy at the moment. Whilst at the same time, we are finding it harder to get things done (McKinsey). Here is where we see the hyper focus on activities for activity sake, as one of the many legacies of the pandemic.

"Meeting free Tuesdays, has turned into payback Wednesdays, as we try and catch up"

Many of the people we are coaching are saying that they are on the verge of burnout, after keeping things together (just) over the last two years. They have been working hard in circumstances where it is difficult to get things done. In other words, work has not been very likable and a test of everyone's resilience.

It is little wonder that organisations are facing the 'great resignation' and all time high burnout rates, when employees experience: endless meetings, email overload, boring repetitive tasks, having to do more with less, distant colleagues and payback Wednesdays. Perhaps we even dread the time of day when we have to engage with our manager and we do so with our video camera's off.

The human connection at work needs to be rewired in order to avoid the huge amount of energy lost in what McKinsey call 'unnecessary interactions'. Great term this. And here is the test. When last did you stop doing something, like going to a meeting where you make no contribution anyway. Our guess is never. Or, when did you stop and ask is there a better, smarter way to do things? By equating our value with executing only, we create a trap for ourselves in a similar way to the hamster on the wheel. Whilst nobody wants to be the hamster, we seem particularly stubborn about behaving this way in order to avoid, and dare we say it, being accused of laziness.

Leadership Mismatch

Into this mix, Leaders are now looking forward to a post-pandemic world, where they are telling people "we can now really get things done". The message seems to be a simple one - "it is time to crack on". The implication seems to be that we have all been sitting around at home doing.....Of course, this new found enthusiasm is not mirrored elsewhere. A mismatch between the hangover from the pandemic and organisations that are not fit for purpose will generate a genuine backlash against such leadership.

"Thinking is real work"

The importance of wellbeing as part of how we work has never been more important. If we think that the pandemic has changed how we work forever, then it is not just wellness that has to change, but the work itself and the way in which we lead. We require the space to think, the opportunity to build quality relationships and the ability to be able to influence the world around us, if we are to create the necessary interactions that deliver the tasks that are important.

If this is misaligned or ignored, engagement, performance and wellbeing will collapse. We need to re(think) ways in which we can be smarter and kinder, if we want employees to be at their best. The other option, which is to simply motivate for more effort - the work harder option - will become exceptionally difficult to sustain. It will feel like pushing a rock up a hill everyday, all day. We suggest you start with the talents and strengths of employees and learn to lead and work in congruent ways. This will mean sustainable excellence for both the individual and the organisation.