Can We Really Reinvent the Workplace?

More and more of us are discussing how much we need to reinvent the workplace and how we work. Whether you’re a Baby Boomer or a Millennial, you likely feel positive about certain things in your company and feel frustrated (or worse) about the need for us to make some fundamental shifts in how we think and work together. The thing is, we can do just that—but it begins with the courage to admit changes need to be made. 

I’m going to share some solutions today but we’re going to begin by taking a look at our current reality. It’s not going to be pretty and you might point to the exceptions and say, “It’s not that bad.” But I'd say exceptions only reinforce the rule. There’s no positive spin on the Gallup Poll’s result that only thirty percent of us have both our head and heart in our work or company.

Let’s take a look at what we say we want in a work environment. Then we’ll look at what we actually have. Remember, I’m painting a broad (but accurate) picture and your organization or manager might be the exception.

Here’s what we say: People are our most valuable asset

We believe in our people
We listen to our people
We value honesty, transparency, and collaboration

Yet, more than we care to admit, here’s what we do:

Training and development is one of the first things to go or to be drastically cut back when the economy is challenging. 
Few employees have a clear development plan for their advancement so they are left wondering what “I believe in you” means.
Far too many employees fear the consequences of speaking up to their boss or senior leaders, so they keep quiet.
Not nearly enough senior leaders are honest or transparent or collaborative with what really matter—when it matters.

I know the picture I painted above isn’t inspiring. However, accepting reality comes before change begins. I also believe we can do dramatically better than what we’re doing. I know that because we do have exceptions to the rule. There are leaders at all levels, starting with the top, who are leading the way in creating a more humanized workplace. 

They are the ones who believe that inspiring people is more profitable than driving them—and they are telling us we don’t have to choose between profits and people—we can have it all. Enough about leaders though. If you’re not a formal leader or a senior leader, what can you do? You have to lead the charge from whatever position you’re in, and here are three ways you can do that:

Be visionary

When it comes to company culture (our values, beliefs and behaviors) you need to have a vision you believe in and are willing to work for. You don’t have to have a title or formal authority. You can lead where you are if you believe you can. If you doubt your ability to make a difference, think about what anthropologist Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Be solution focused

We know well enough what the problems are, even if we deny them and minimize them too often. We need to address the problems of our current workplace, but we need to do that with solutions in hand. I don’t know what that would be for your team or your organization, but you do. If you don’t, you and your team can identify at least one solution and say, “Let’s start with this.”

Be empathetic

Organizations and individuals don’t change just because we want them to. Most leaders, managers, and employees want things to be better. Let’s give each other the benefit of the doubt and believe most of us want to make positive changes in the workplace. That’s not being naïve, it’s extending the same courtesy we expect from others. If we are patient and empathetic with each other, then when the time comes, we can respectfully challenge each other to not only imagine a better workplace, but to actually do what it takes to create it.

- Alan Allard, Executive Coach