• Replies 29 replies
  • Subscribers 3 subscribers
  • Views 7812 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related

What gives you a sense of meaning in your work?

Louisa Baczor

According to David Graeber, many people have pointless jobs which exist merely to serve unnecessary bureaucratic processes.

Have you ever reflected on your own work, and what it is about it specifically that creates (or inhibits) meaning for you?

How can we create more meaning for other people in their work?

Parents

  • Hosw can we create more meaning for other people in their work?

    2000 years of studying human behaviour and we still don't know?

    Example pointless job:- I enter our local Homebase and am 'greeted' by some employee who greets me with; "Welcome to Homebase sir, if there's anything you need please do not hesitate to ask one of our colleagues".

    And on leaving he bids me farewell with; "Did you find everything you needed today sir? - - "thank you!" ---" have a nice day".

    ?????  2000 years or more employing people and it seems we've not learned much.



    :-(

  • in reply to David Perry
    David actually Walmart who pioneered that approach have shown that for most ( although clearly not you ) it’s far from a pointless job. It engages with the customer, makes most feel welcomed and a real person rather than just a number and if done well can greatly increase identification with that store / brand and repeat visits.

    They have trialled using them and not using them and commercially it makes sense to have them. So perhaps because we can’t see the point doesn’t mean it’s pointless.

    As I said earlier I would be surprised if in any commercial organisation there are many pointless jobs anymore. The budgets are just too stretched and tones too tight.

    I accept there are many jobs that may not give high levels of personal satisfaction or reward for the job holder. But that’s another matter I think.
  • in reply to Keith
    I think Keith has hit on a key point here.
    In these days of leaner and leaner management the luxury of jobs with no purpose for a company is IMHO less and less present.
    One of the challenges of today's world for a lot of people is to be able to see what their job actually contributes - good line managers help people to understand the purpose behind the things they do, but not all managers are good people managers.....
    Even then, there are many jobs whose purpose is evident, but which are unlikely to engage most workers in an enduring way - try spending an evening schlepping dustbins around in freezing temperatures and you'll quickly get my drift.
    As HR people we have a duty to assist our employers and managers to achieve engagement but even in 2018 miracles can't happen everywhere and every day :-)
  • in reply to Keith

    Walmart may have done some research but I can't say I remember being greeted by their staff in  the two or three stores I went to in Canada.

    Surely once the novelty of being greeted by the same old greetings formula, doesn't the experience or novelty wear off?

Reply Children
No Data