Over the past few years I’ve bumped into a few business types who treated people as interchangeable widgets. As long as you had enough bodies everything was ok. While this mode of thinking is wrong on so many levels it actually produces the opposite results of what is intended.
When a business treats people like cogs in a machine the people then treat the business in return like a machine. They distance themselves emotionally from it, they have no vested interest in its success, and worst of all, and they feel no sense of commitment or loyalty to it. This mutual distancing attitude results in high turnover rates that cost both the business and the employee a large amount of time, knowledge and money. The systems, services, and products of the business never are improved upon. Wisdom is limited to one generation of employees. The healthy learning and growth process for the business and the employee are stagnated.
People are never means to financial success or a raging empire. People are ends in and of themselves. If a business truly understands this and saturates ever aspect of its operations with it they will have: substantially lower turnover rates, fiercely loyal staff, lifelong friends, money out the wazoo, fun, and most importantly they will have built something that is good.
Comments
Brad Pineau - July 12, 2003 1:36 am
Very good point. The most important thing an employee needs to feel is wanted and needed. If an employee feels like they belong, they will be attached to their job on an emotional level, and will contribute to the company as if it were their own.
ryan - July 14, 2003 11:58 pm
I'd say another powerful business tool is the phrase: "I don't know". Followed by the appropriate "I'll look into it and let you know" or "I check and get back to you". People like knowing that you're human. Of course if you use this too often you look like a very stupid human; This is not a desirable effect.
Chris - January 6, 2005 12:49 pm
Yes that is one sad part of capitalism. They never think of the people. Profits begins to be the most important thing in life.
fdsaf - January 26, 2006 5:08 pm
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IndianRationalist - June 26, 2007 1:14 am
In a free society, people choose their jobs at free will & quit at free will for better prospects.
If we want to be Politically Correct & practice Hypocrisy to appear Contemporary, we can choose to sermonize where it's least necessary. Those choosing higher pays to humane management can't complain about it; those not considering management & bosses not human, can't make a grievance on this count; and those treating vendors / customers dispensable, can't make a grievance of being considered one.
Reflection is at the root of how you wish to be treated.