By all accounts, the current state of work is good. Flexible schedules are beginning a workplace transformation. Hierarchal structures are being dismantled, replaced with decentralized team-oriented organizations. Rewards are no longer exclusively linked to extrinsic motivations like salary or titles, but to projects that make us feel good and do good for the planet.
Fresh-faced workers are responding in kind with idealism, strong ethics, and bright-eyed expectations to change the world. With energy and impatience to do something that matters. Even in the recession, we shine to thrive.
And it is from such high hopes that we discover such low realities. Where real life makes every effort to shut us down. Cramp the rainbows. Take out the sun. Step on our rose-colored lenses.
One twenty-something likens entering the real world to “a confidence-killing daily assault of petty degradations. All of this is compounded by the fear that it is all for nothing; that you are a useful fool.”
The bully to blame is work politics and its shameful hum in the background of most companies is a deafening precursor to what we know, but ignore: companies that are built on lies, deceit and manipulation fail.
A recent UK study revealed there is a clear gap between dreams and reality. One in three graduates believes their employer has not met expectations, that management stifles innovation, and that their opinions are undervalued.
Workers are spending more time learning a game with unspoken rules and invisible puppeteers than engaging in any real contribution to society. A fashion designer started a once-anonymous blog to expose such humiliations in his own industry, writing his first posts on “designers whose careers he thought had been unduly advanced by the support of fashion’s power brokers, rather than evidence of hard work.”
But most of us are silent on the issue. Many of us just settle, choosing to bow out of the game, and some bow out of the system all together. Others join the dark side, if you will. And still others – a small, but inspirational minority – bring such goodness and dedication to their jobs that you can almost see halos forming above their brow line.
There is a natural learning curve to growing up, of course. And while it’s okay to learn that change is hard, that everything doesn’t work out because you wish it so, that you have to pay dues, and that life is generally not fair, it’s not okay to live a life without integrity.
It’s not okay to engage in power plays. It’s not okay to cheat and form alliances and be exclusionary. It’s not okay to be unethical or gossip or commandeer confidence and ideas and dreams as a buck-toothed swindler. Pirates, we are not.
When did manipulation become the status quo? When did deceit become “just business”? And when, exactly, did we start ignoring such desperation? When did it become a humming that we worked alongside instead of a shrill invasion?
Instead of gorging on control and power and greed like goblins, companies should take note of Netflix and their “Freedom & Responsibility Culture.” A company that doesn’t theft and abuse the self-worth of their employees, but encourages it with great candor.
“The [Netflix] executives trust staffers to make their own decisions on everything – from whether to bring their dog to the office to how much of their salary they want in cash and how much in stock options,” reports BNET.
In their internal presentation on their work policies, Netflix asks what it would be like if every person you worked with was someone you respected and learned from, defining a great workplace as one filled with “stunning colleagues.” Where responsible employees thrive on freedom, are worthy of a culture of innovation and self-discipline, and even brilliant jerks can’t be tolerated.
Netflix argues that “the best managers figure out how to get great outcomes by setting the appropriate context, rather than trying to control people.” They urge their managers to ask themselves when they are tempted to control their people, “Are you articulate and inspiring enough about goals and strategies?”
The result is that the company isn’t bogged down in the policies, rigidity, politics, policies, mediocrity or complacency that infects most organizations. Instead, they are adept, fast and flexible. And they’re honest and human. Incredibly human.
Netflix is just one example. My job at a non-profit that served the poorest of the poor, but kept laughter flowing through the office is another. My current position is still another.
And those examples are the future of work, the next step after company-supplied daycare and work-life balance programs.
A future without work politics. A future with goodness. And probably some rainbows too.
What do you think are some of the problems facing work today? Have work politics been an issue? What are some trends you see for the future?
21 replies on “What’s wrong with the workplace – and what’s next”
Politics leads to a culture in which collaboration is punished, not rewarded. Collaboration = bad because budget allocations get messy, protectionism is needed for self preservation, and preservation of self and program identity leads to a loss of the bigger picture, which is what we got involved with the organization in the first place, wasn’t it?
Having said that, the individual people are important too, though I would agree with you that the best value is found from those individuals when given an opportunity to learn from, work with, and contribute to the success of one another.
@ Trinia – Interesting thoughts on collaboration. In the Netflix presentation you’ll see they encourage an idea called “Highly Aligned, Loosely Coupled” which seems to be in line with what you’re saying – where you need collaboration, but the individual has to thrive in those situations as well. Thanks for the comment!
It’s interesting, that line between management and self-management. I find myself thinking about this a lot these days. How to be a kind of leader who equips and inspires people to discover their own empowerment at work. But at the same time, to offer direction when it’s needed in a way that cultivates others and doesn’t push their own creativity down. How to foster that sense of self-advancement while cultivating a creative team.
I love the Netflix presentation. A colleague sent that to me the other day, and it is truly a great example. Now, the challenge is how individuals can shape the culture of organizations from within, because I believe that not just new, hip companies can evolve into this future of work you are advocating. But in the end, how successfully that happens will depend, simply, on people.
And maybe it’s not that complicated. Maybe it’s just people pushing to live life well, wherever they are. At work, too.
It is tough to change a corporate culture, especially if it is a bigger company. Essentially, business is social and people tend to be with people they agree with and shut out people they don’t agree with. Unless you can get to a common vision, like Netflix, where you can work but still disagree with what is done and not be socially ostracized for it, the politics will continue.
The better chance is with newer companies because they can establish or change a corporate culture easier than the 50-year old company. The hardest part of interviewing for a candidate is really being able to evaluate the corporate culture. What is assumed in the interview often is a disaster in practice.
So our future challenge is how best to determine the corporate culture of a company and determine if we would want to work in that culture. We’ll have to use our business and social networks to figure it out. Then work only for companies that closely match the culture that helps us do our best work.
Not an easy thing to do, especially since most of us haven’t really figured out the culture that works best for us. Tough to determine the best place when we don’t know what we want!
A thoughtful article, as usual, Rebecca.
I have a lot of opinions about the first half of this post. They don’t teach office politics in schools and most folks enter the workforce thinking that they are going to change the world with sunshine and butterflies and are shocked and disillusioned when they are introduced the THE CUBE and the darkness and constant no and don’t that follows.
I’m totally going to write a response post before my comment gets too long. Thanks for the inspiration!
This is great, and hopefully true, but where do we find these companies? I see you gave a few examples, but where do the people that are stuck in the “bad” workplaces find the “good” ones? I would love to know!
Rebecca, I don’t think the workplace has changed as much as you think my friend. A lot of what you’re talking about here is visionary, sadly. Working at a startup versus working at a large company is a completely different experience. There isn’t that much flexibility in the workplace right now and hierarchies are still here, and not going anywhere for a very long time, sadly again.
There are some signs of workplace flex though in certain areas, where people are having four day weeks, but it’s still rare.
I agree with you about office politics, but there are politics outside of the office to! In fact, all life is politics and games if you really drill down. I know this from experience trying to get a book deal, interviewing celebrities, etc.
A lot of people are starting companies now because they don’t have jobs (unemployment rate at 9.7%). The problem is that a lot of them won’t succeed (which doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try). That being said, it’s hard to make money blogging and doing startups, so working for companies is a requirement for the majority.
The workplace will change in the future because Gen-Y will force it on the rest of the population….but Gen-Y isn’t in control yet…
I find that with certain company cultures, people tend to do what’s in the best interest of their employer anyway. At the company I work for now, that is definitely the case for me and most of my colleagues. However, at other places I’ve worked or interned, where nothing is really valued or appreciated, and good work is neither appreciated or celebrated, most of us just did as little as we could get away with — we didn’t want to work long hours or put in the extra effort because doing something amazing had no rewards.
@ Tiffany – Great comment. I agree it’s more of a people shift than a policy shift – individuals have to start creating cultures that aren’t based on office politics but empowerment. I have no doubt that you’ll easily be one of the inspirational leaders : )
@ Scot – I’m with you – it’s difficult for many companies because big almost seems to necessitate policies and politics, but there are examples out there that prove you don’t need that, so I think there’s still hope. As far as we don’t know what we want, I don’t buy that. I just think we’re not fully sure that what we want is possible.
@ Monica – Ah, glad I could inspire a bit – can’t wait to see your post! I very much wanted to use the word disillusionment in the title of this post, because I think you’re right, it speaks to exactly what’s happening as young people enter the workforce.
@ Jessica – Well, for one, I don’t think a whole big lot of them exist. And the ones that do aren’t shouting from the rooftops how great they are; they’re more quiet in their goodness. Two, I think it takes a lot of trial and error. For instance, a past job was supposed to be my dream job and had all the right things on the list checked off. But it was ripe with politics… had I kept my eyes open a little bit more, I probably could have seen that. It’s a little like finding a “good man” – they’re out there, so have faith! Ha.
@ Dan – You’re right. I think many companies have a long way to go just to get caught up to some of the initiatives I mention in the beginning. I’m not sure start-ups and large companies are mutually exclusive either. I’ve seen good and bad examples in both. And I really don’t think politics is acceptable, even in life. Like this is what I find so amazing; that we blindly accept that it’s okay to make life a game. That’s no way to live.
@ Cassandra – Totally. You’re describing most workplaces where people just settle. It’s a shame and such a waste! I hope that more people find good workplaces like you have, and keep striving towards something better.
The non-profit I worked for had a lot of company politics. I loved MY job, but unfortunately, the immaturity and arguments between groups and people within the company affected me. There was a distinct hierarchy and certain teams greatly disliked the others (the education department disliked our events department).
Sometimes I just wanted to scream in our company meetings, “Can’t we all just get alone!?” Alas, maybe I’m too idyllic. Maybe not, rainbows do exist. I know the company politics still exist there and amongst many companies. I appreciate when there’s maturity infused with transparency and when managers encourage innovation and open conversation. I’m looking for it and luckily, have had my fair share of company goodness, especially where I am now.
Rebecca –
Just found your blog via Penelop Trunk’s and I wanted to tell you I love it. Awesome stuff.
I’m curious why you jump to the assertion that “the bully to blame is work politics”? Not that I necessarily disagree, but what are the causes of the work politics and what about coprorate culture encourages this? I have my own curious but I’m curious as to what you think.
I’d also say that from my experience at my own job (which is small but still traditional in its mindset), avoiding legal trouble from both employees and customers appears to be the primary motivation for my company’s rules and rigidity. I interpolate this behavior to mean that my company basically equates flexibility with vulnerability to lawsuits.
It struck me that your description of Netflix’s corporate culture reminds me of a college – surrounded by people you respect and learn from. But inevitably there must be conflict. How does Netflix handle conflict resolution? Especially between employees, I imagine that would be a sensitive issue?
Thanks, and keep up the great writing.
~Royce
I think what you are expressing can be echoed across all late 20-somethings these days. You summed it up well as a people shift rather than a policy shift.
Many of us have left jobs because of general unhappiness and/or not feeling inspired. In my experience, the least inspiring places to work had the most politics, drama and game playing. In turn, I think people have shifted; we’ve opted for jobs, volunteer opportunities, travel, ANYTHING that gives us a little inspiration and in turn, a little more happiness.
You can’t have everything you want. The virtues extolled in the beginning of the post (flexible schedules, decentralization, flat structures, team-based work) are not virtues for every kind of company. They ARE suitable for explorer-type companies, where the company is trying to figure out something new to do.
All of those things, which admittedly sound nice, are quite counterproductive (and therefore nonexistent) at companies that have to find the most efficient way to assemble smartphones or process bill payments. Maybe you don’t want to work at those companies, but even at explorer-type companies, somebody in Accounts Payable is trying really hard to get the bills paid faster and more efficiently so s/he doesn’t have to work until 8pm just paying bills every day. That person would much rather have a hierarchy to refer to internally when s/he can’t tell whether a vendor should be paid.
The thing is, all of that decentralization and flexible approach to work comes with a cost: lost, or more difficult, coordination of activities inside a company. So, to get that coordination back, employees at these companies have to build informal networks with other employees. These informal networks can be very powerful and efficient. But they are also a fertile breeding ground for all the politics, manipulation and deceit that you rightly decry. And these informal networks are not easily transferable, so somebody new to a company has to start from scratch.
Rebecca, you are absolutely right that there needs to be a learning curve to growing up, which involves surrendering some youthful idealism. A desire to be paid for unstructured creativity is one such youthful ideal. A few of us might get to work like that for the rest of our lives, but not many of us.
@ Grace – Thanks so much for sharing your story. I find our histories are often similar! And I don’t think there’s such a thing as being too idyllic ; )
@ Royce – I think many people are one, crappy managers and are two, selfish. And that leads to control, power plays, drama. The sucky stuff. And in response to conflict resolution, one of the best things about Netflix is that they treat employees as adults. Simple statement, but really imagine how powerful that is. Because so many rules and policies etc assume that we don’t carry enough responsibility within ourselves. Netflix assumes you do. Would love to hear your theories… thanks for the comment!
@ Kimling – Love this idea of the people shift again – and to places where they find just a corner of happiness. I hope the people that are engaging in such activities bring the inspirations back to the workplace; a lot could probably be learned!
@ Aaron – Eh, we more or less disagree. Some of the initiatives I discussed are different things going on in different companies. Of course, not every company will engage in every benefit. But to reign them all in as just part of “explorer type companies” is short-sighted. Or maybe just telling. Because there’s some very good arguments that explorer-type companies and efficient-type companies are not mutually exclusive. Netflix makes a very similar point in their presentation.
Where we do agree is that I’m definitely not arguing whatsoever for unstructured creativity. I think boundaries do more to encourage creativity than hinder it.
Rebecca,
I’m so glad I stumbled onto your post. This is a fantastic piece. One of your points really stands out to me:
“One twenty-something likens entering the real world to “a confidence-killing daily assault of petty degradations. All of this is compounded by the fear that it is all for nothing; that you are a useful fool.'”
I don’t think this sentiment is exclusive to twenty-somethings. I think the environment all people find in the work place may be the result of daily confidence-killing assaults. When you are dying, you look to find some way to survive. It’s a twisted cycle that management plays a very big part in. Too much talent and creativity have gone (and are going) to waste due to the spirits that have been destroyed. I hope that we all can stay inspired for long enough to end this cycle.
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Thank you for writing this. I’m the twenty-something who thinks that her job is a daily assault. I’ve been very reluctant to write in any detail about the kind of stuff that goes on at my workplace, for fear that someone I work with might find my blog and retaliate (and my workplace is obviously the kind of place where retaliation happens) for my criticisms of their performance. But…I’ve experienced all of the negative things you’ve mentioned at my workplace, and I’m glad someone can write about it. The problems with my work environment have had a serious negative impact on productivity and turnover. If it weren’t for the recession, 90% of the people I work with would have left, and the other 10% would only have stayed because of the cushy paycheck or laziness. They recently did a round of layoffs, and most of the people were excited to be let go. (I know of at least one who had a celebration party.)
It pays to be good to your employees. If you aren’t, you create an environment where everyone dislikes and distrusts each other and where the employees don’t care at all about what they are doing. Which, in the long run, has a negative impact on your bottom line.
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