I will start by pointing out that whatever I say in this post doesn’t apply to everyone, since we all have different backgrounds, wishes, and talents, but for me, these things work very well.
There is a misunderstanding that most people go to work only to get their paycheck, and that’s it. This might be true for some, but I believe that most of us want to be part of something, be productive, and enjoy the valuable time we spend away from our family and close friends. A recent survey shows that only 35% of the workforce is highly engaged with their companies, leaving 65% feeling unsupported, detached, or disengaged.
If you are one of the 35% happy with your job, congratulations! And if you are not, let’s try to understand and learn together what makes us feel disconnected from what we are doing. In my career and immigration journey, I had the chance to work for many companies in completely different areas, doing things I never thought I would. For some of them, I was happily part of the 35%, but most of the time I was part of the 65%, and a few key reasons explain why this happened—these reasons are our study subject.
Here are a couple of things that made me feel most engaged with the companies I worked for:
Appreciated. Have you ever felt that people don’t care if you are there, that you are completely replaceable? This isn’t nice—it can create an insecure feeling that you could be fired at any time for any or even minor reason. On the other hand, when our leaders show that we are part of something, like a mechanism in a clock, and are happy that we are there helping to make it happen, it makes a huge difference. Feeling appreciated boosts our confidence, motivates us to try our best, and keeps us from just “getting by” until the end of the month. If you are a leader, show your team how important they are; “Thanks for being here” is a good start.
Heard. Yes—heard. It might seem simple and underrated, but when you talk or have an idea and your superior ignores or underestimates it, it is frustrating. I still feel anger just thinking about it. If you are a leader, please do not kill your team’s capacity to grow, innovate, and improve.
On the other side, here are things that made me feel like I didn’t belong:
Replaceable and disrespected. I put these together, not because they always happen simultaneously, but as collateral damage from a corrupted work environment. Feeling like “just another employee” is bad enough, but being disrespected—not only in a rude way but intellectually, with others demonstrating that you are not good enough for the job due to lack of experience or education—is even worse.
Disorganization. It makes me feel like I’m in the wrong place. There’s nothing worse than showing up to work and finding everything in chaos, wasting time and resources. I feel like my productivity time is being wasted—and time is something that never comes back. Like behavior, this is also an issue, but tools like the Mou app can help in many situations. I’m happy I can contribute with information and software to improve people’s work environments—that is my mission.
If you are a project manager, supervisor, or in any leadership role, be aware of these points and how they impact people’s lives. Most of us spend the majority of our day at work, and leaders have the power to make that time positive or negative. Leadership is about serving, not taking—and this is a topic I will write about soon: the inverted pyramid, something I believe in and apply to my work. Until then, I hope I have added something to your management skills.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you can achieve a bit more.