Most entrepreneurs struggle to define business growth consistent with their values. Many don’t consider that traditional metrics of success might be inconsistent with what matters most to them–and their employees. Increasingly, employees are demanding employers explore potential conflicts, asking them questions like:
- Is annual revenue more important than the number of people helped?
- How important is Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth if we destroy the earth in the process?
- What responsibility are you taking to reduce disparities and harm as you grow?
Employees are aware that the relentless pursuit of growth for its own sake is often driven by greed. They experience first-hand how it is not only harming our planet but also exacerbating social inequities. This singular focus on economic expansion is contributing to a world where disparities widen, creating a chasm between the ultra-rich and those who provide the labor that makes them successful–according to the traditional definitions. Yet employers repeatedly tell us they don’t understand “why no one wants to work.”
Defining the Conflict Correctly and Succinctly
Gallup recently reported that approximately 62% of employees across the globe are disengaged at work. Writers interpreting this statistic paint a picture of a workforce that is not fulfilling job requirements. They often demonize the employees for doing the bare minimum and not going above and beyond for their employers to raise the GDP. This conflict could be defined as:
Employers and employees disagree about what disengagement is and what it means for the business.
What employers are witnessing might not be a lack of employee commitment. It might simply be that employees value work-life balance more in the post-pandemic world, and they are looking more critically at all the agreements they have made. Having mindful employees might not be the detriment you think it is. Let’s explore further.
Identifying Employee Interests in Work
Assuming employers and employees are primarily in conflict over what disengagement is and what it means for the business, we next consider the interests each has in the work to be done. In simplest form, employers are interested in results in exchange for pay, and employees are interested in pay for their labor. But it goes far deeper than that.
For example, employers are often led by task-oriented people with dominant personality styles who fear being taken advantage of. They are ever-aware how many people would like to see them fail, and many still struggle with Impostor Syndrome. Attempting to climb to a level of untouchability, they have little patience for people and their complexities, so they delegate management to those more skilled to do so.
On the other hand, employees are complex. They can be task-oriented people with compliant personalities, or they can be people-oriented with different focuses. Influencing people focus on fun and getting everyone on board. Supportive people focus on making sure everyone is included or acknowledged.
Regardless, when employees aren’t exceeding expectations, it’s frequently because they’re being asked to shoulder an ever-increasing workload without corresponding:
- Pay
- Benefits
- Opportunities
- Acknowledgment
- Rest
This imbalance can lead to a natural response: setting boundaries. Feeling detached might stem from a profound realization that life encompasses more than work, as many employees rediscovered during the pandemic.
Playing with the Possibilities
If most employers could resolve this employee disengagement conflict in any way possible, employees would fall in line and start giving more without expecting anything new. Likewise, employees would like their employers to give more without requiring them to work longer or harder. This is the unspoken conflict entangled in the original one.
To receive more, we must usually give more, and “more” isn’t always quantifiable by money, benefits, or perks. The real currency lies in aligning:
- Laws, rules, and regulations
- Business vision, mission, and values
- Personal values and goals
Incorporating this broader perspective into our understanding of employee engagement is a lot like what business owners do when researching their target clients. Employers must acknowledge that workers are more than cogs in the economic machine. They are individuals with a keen sense of social and environmental responsibility who want to contribute to workplaces that aligns with their values. Similarly, many employers might have similar definitions of business growth and not know how to pursue them.
It’s possible success can be quantified by more than financial gain or productivity metrics, but one that includes the well-being of our communities, the health of our environment, and the fairness of our societies.
Creating the Future
This is the new narrative of success we need might be one that stands for more than profit. Employees seem to be demanding one that strives for sustainability, equity, and a better future for all. Their perceived disengagement doesn’t necessarily imply a lack of dedication or a refusal to fulfill job responsibilities. Instead, it signifies a refusal to be exploited solely for the benefit of employers and shareholders.
Employment is a partnership in the pursuit of mutually compatible goals. In this partnership, we find the true meaning of engagement: a shared commitment to the well-being of all, grounded in the understanding that we are all part of a larger community. Together, we can redefine success, not by the wealth we accumulate but by the lives we enrich.
For attorneys, funeral directors, and social workers, it’s also about connecting with the heart of service. Recognizing that while growth is essential, it must be sustainable and ethical. The relentless pursuit of GDP growth often overlooks the human element, the very essence that makes our work meaningful.
Conclusion
Discussions of employee engagement need to go beyond the superficial complaints about business grown and GDP. Employers must delve–with their employees–into the core of what it means to be part of a team, a community, and a shared vision. It’s about recognizing that #EmployeeEngagement is not just a hashtag to attract Likes and Comments. It requires a commitment to mutual respect and understanding, not just of each other, but also the world in which we operate.