Proper work

The former head of two large retail companies claimed over the weekend that a ‘generation of people are not doing proper work’.

The inference here is that employees younger than himself are somehow less productive than previous generations have been. The comments weren’t backed by statistics to validate the claims. However, it’s a timeless tradition. Every generation of workers has been criticised by the generation that came before.

What the comments do reinforce is that if it’s the case that productivity has slipped, then it’s actually a failure of a generation of senior leaders, not its employees.

Proper work is about creating value, solving problems, and making things better than they were before. The real question isn't whether today's workers are doing proper work. The real question is whether today's leaders are creating proper working environments and ensuring that managers have the capabilities to uphold them.

Because culture isn't something that happens to us. Culture is something we choose to build. And when leaders blame their workforce instead of examining their own choices, they're making a choice too — a choice to preserve their comfort instead of adapting to change.

I’ve yet to meet an employee that doesn’t want to do work that matters. Everyone wants to make a difference. 

In my experience, today’s generation of workers aren't asking for less work. They're asking for better work. Work that acknowledges their humanity. Work that respects their boundaries. Work that gives them a voice. Work that recognises how technology can improve their outputs. Work that generates personal and organisational growth.

And they’re looking for leaders who have the skills to help them to thrive.

If your workplace isn't getting ‘proper work’ from its people, maybe it's time to ask: What kind of culture are you choosing to build?