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1-Page Summary of Why We Work
Overview
People work for a variety of reasons. Some people may simply want to earn money, while others might want social interactions or be deeply engaged in their jobs. Whatever the reason, it is important to create an environment that fulfills all these needs and motivates employees to do their best work.
The work environment is imbalanced. Money has become the main incentive for people to perform, but it sometimes demotivates them. Instead of money, we should focus on other incentives such as doing a good job and helping others.
In this article, you’ll learn how offering monetary rewards for parents to pick up their kids early had the opposite effect; why vicious work cycles can be avoided; and how Adam Smith’s ideas about efficiency are wrong.
Big Idea #1: The most fulfilling work allows us to make a difference in the lives of others.
Do you know what your work means to you? Whether or not you’re aware of why your work matters, it’s an important indicator of how much meaning and fulfillment you get from it.
Work is a necessity, but it’s not something that most people enjoy. For some of us, work might be nothing more than a way to make money and buy necessities like groceries and clothes. It’s just what we have to do in order to live our lives. However, for many others, their work has become much more than simply a job; they’ve found ways to make their jobs into passions.
Others perceive their work as a career. They want to progress in their careers and get promotions, raises, and increased responsibilities. Career-minded people expect more fulfillment from their jobs than those who just see it as a job.
Some people believe their work to be a calling. The work they do creates positive change in the world, and it’s an important part of life for them. They derive happiness from their work.
There are three types of people in the world: those who know they’re right, those who don’t know they’re wrong, and those that think they might be wrong. But why do these differences exist?
In order to find out what made their work a calling and not just a job, one American psychologist interviewed people in different industries. She conducted interviews and studies to determine the answer.
Custodians at hospitals said that they were most fulfilled by interacting with patients and supporting the education of future leaders. Custodians felt like their work was a calling when witnessing how much positive change they brought to people’s lives.
How can you make your employees feel like their work is a calling?
Big Idea #2: Without autonomy, investment and a mission, employees feel disengaged and demotivated.
What makes a business run well? There are three factors that make up the best companies, and all of them have to do with how employees are treated.
The first thing that will make a business more successful is giving people independence and responsibility. When you do this, entry-level workers to leaders on project teams take more pride in their work. Giving employees the power to make key decisions in their field boosts levels of trust, commitment, and respect within the workplace.
The second is recognition.
Everyone wants to feel appreciated for a job well done. There’s nothing better than knowing that your manager sees how hard you’re working or appreciates your efforts at improving efficiency throughout the organization.
