‘Work doesn’t work!’ Trite? Glib? Facile? Maybe. But true.
“The system is broken” Trite? Glib? Facile? Maybe. But also true.
So what do we do?
We stop doing things that won’t fix it and start doing things that will.
Things that won’t fix it –
Bean bags
Free meals
Fussball tables
Hybrid working
Wellness programmes
Writing values statements on the wall
Mindful minutes
Engagement surveys
Consultants
The business fairy
Things that will fix it –
Developing a deep understanding of the types of work that need to be done
Providing environments that support those different types of work
Giving people the autonomy to decide when and where they do that work
Moving from synchronous to asynchronous working
Continuous, face-to-face dialogue between managers and the people they support
Caring for the whole person
Focusing on purpose and belonging
Equalising power across the organisation
Creating an environment for human thriving
Experimenting, playing, learning
Cultivating joy
Having fun
Of course, the things that will fix it are complex and challenging. The other stuff is much easier. That’s why it doesn’t work.
Let’s fix the system and make work work.