Unplugged

Times are tough and many folks are out of work. Those remaining in the workforce are expected to do more and more with less and less. We refer to this as productivity and never before has it been as high. "At least I have job" is a statement we hear each day. But the quality of our work and the personal fulfillment it provides have fallen victim to this never-ending push for greater productivity. Why?

I'd say the root of this problem lies in the fact that our morale is suffering. But shouldn't our morale be high if we're grateful to have a job? One might think, but such linear thinking loses its strength within the human equation. And, to make matters worse, there is no column on any corporate spread sheet where we can quantify employee morale. We also find labor on the cost side of the ledger when, in fact, these folks are the one ultimately responsible for the success of a company. As a result, those we look to for leadership and inspiration come to see us as impediments to greater riches.

While there is a specific area of our economy called the "service industry", I would submit that all enterprises provide a service of some sort, be it directly providing something to the end user or making a box that holds a product. If you have a customer, you're in the service industry, at least for the purposes of this discussion. Additionally, if you are responsible for even one employee, you are a manager. You may not be thought of as management, but your underling's morale is highly dependent on how you approach your responsibilities.

OK, so how have we gotten to the point of higher effort with less satisfaction. Those that control our work environment have become disconnected, unplugged if you will, with what it is like to be down in the trenches. The pressures from their bosses, who are similarly unplugged, are transferred to the next lower rung on the corporate ladder. As Stephen King so aptly called it in his Dark Tower series, they have forgotten the face of their father.

This disconnect leads to a feeling of under-appreciation and directly impacts what we do and how we do it. I'd say most of us routinely give 150% to our jobs when we feel good about what we do. In a less than ideal workplace that number falls off to a level closer to 100%. True, we are still operating at a high level, but the difference is noticeable. And with an unplugged supervisor, the expectations increase even more. "The beatings will continue until morale improves" is a motto most of us are familiar with and, while the worker bees laugh at such sentiment, the higher-ups find it quite logical.

Unfortunately, there's not much the recipients of such corporate mentality can do about changing the culture they're trapped within. What is needed is an illuminated management team that recognizes the value within the workforce and seeks ways to maximize its potential. Does that come down to higher wages? Although pay may be an important part of the puzzle, other, less expensive, methods exist that can equally raise morale and, subsequently, success for all involved.

Perhaps the most notable example, within the airline industry at least, is Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines. Herb ran that show for a good while and was once asked how he kept his customers happy. "I don't worry about my customers," he replied. "I worry about my employees and they take care of the customers." Now Southwest is a highly unionized airline so don't start talking about how such success is impossible under such circumstances. Herb simply understood how to treat his employees so they would excel. I think that he also accepted the reality of unions and decided to work with them instead of against. This approach has created a consistently successful company. Is this example exclusive to the airline industry? Of course not. All that is needed is a manager who fully recognizes what is required to get the most from his subordinates.

"Well, when the economy turns around, things will improve, you know." No, I don't know that nor am I hopeful that an epiphany will strike the boardrooms of America and usher in a new era of enlightenment. What might happen, though, is an epidemic of "take this job and shove it-itis" that results in an exodus from companies that remain unplugged to those with a better appreciation for the value of their employees and a resultant increase in their morale. Time alone will tell if our managers come to realize that spending a few pennies on their charges pays off handsomely in dollars.

In the meantime, it is important to try and find a ray of sunshine in every workday amid the environment provided by your bosses. Do it not for them or their bottom line: do it for yourself and your family. For your sanity, too. After all, at the end of the day, it all comes down to you and the person in the mirror.