Active in the physical sense of the word can only mean good—be it walking, aerobics, cycling or yoga. There is no bone of contention as far as the merit of being active physically is concerned. But in the work environment, is being active or efficient truly appreciated or is it simply misused?
What is noticed in the work place is that many times, the employees who are active and pursue their work diligently and efficiently, get more work on their table. A few polite words of praise are, of course, awarded to them, but along with the praise comes heaps of additional work. This makes one wonder— is it really smart to be efficient? Should the efficient ones also join the band wagon of the not so efficient ones?
We hear of motivational workshops, seminars and talks. But it’s high time that theory gets translated into practice. How do the bosses actually motivate their employees? If the good workers are being overloaded with more and more work, will they really be motivated to perform at their optimum best. The rewards should match the efforts. Sometimes words (even complimentary ones) seem hollow, when not followed by any concrete action.
It gets taken for granted, to pass the work to Mr/ Ms Goody because he / she will finish it. Work ethics motivate the sincere up to a certain level. But it is not a nice feeling to be misused. So what the employers don’t realize is that this sort of a working culture could be the very reason for the employees to feel demotivated. It is not the work per se or the workload, because humans have an innate tendency to survive even under extreme pressure. Work doesn’t kill anyone, but the attitude and work culture of the employers could kill the enthusiasm of the employees to work efficiently.
As children, we are taught to be prompt, sincere in our work, honest in our dealings with others, co-operative and all the other good stuff. When we enter into the real world, we begin with these lofty ideals. Yes, I call them ideals, because soon enough, we start to doubt their relevance in the world outside of the school books.
I read a beautiful and pertinent quote, “Things were meant to be used and people loved. But in today’s world, things are being loved and people used.” Very sad indeed!
If we want a congenial and conducive work environment, we need to create a right working culture, where the juniors and seniors are treated with respect. Respect should come from the fact that it is earned— and not forced due to fear or any ulterior motive.
Commitment to your word should be a requirement at every level. When a person says he/she will complete a task, he should do so. An extra work load during extremely busy situations or emergencies can, of course, be accommodated but these situations should be an exception rather than the norm.
In the legal profession, we respect our seniors for their experience and years of hard work. They have truly earned it, in every sense of the word. We don’t stand up when they walk into the room, out of fear. It just happens out of sheer respect. The juniors look up to the seniors with awe and aspire to be like them. But sadly, in the corporate world, respect is not so genuine. The reason is pretty clear, because the inspiration and aspiration could be missing.
Responsibility, accountability, transparency and mutual respect are integral parts of a good working environment, and apply equally to all. What is required is motivation and not only delegation. We have to “Walk the Talk”. The managers have to show the way by leading by example. Efficiency demands and commands efficiency. It’s like quid pro quo.Or at least that’s the way it should be.
What goes around comes around. Be inspirational in order to inspire others.
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