Mental health and staff satisfaction have come into the spotlight over the past 12 months. Suddenly everybody is talking about flexitime and remote working.
Now here’s a controversial question: do these things satisfy employees or only appease them?
In my working life, I always felt most satisfied when I could invest my whole skill and value set in a company. I was most dissatisfied when I felt forced to fulfil a static job description that required only part of me. Boredom and stress set in after a few months. I faced an inner conflict between what I wanted to contribute, and what was required of me.
How would you try to get me out of that state?
More money, flexitime and remote working would not fix my demotivation, conflict and stress. These incentives could make it more bearable at most. And hopefully, they would enable me to find satisfaction elsewhere.
Deep and lasting satisfaction cannot be bought
Gimmicks do not fill the emptiness inside; they only cover it up for a while. Our lives become fulfilling and satisfying when we live into our values – our personal values.
If I can express my values in my job, then money, flexitime, and remote working do not matter that much. Unless they support me living into my values even more.
To increase the wellness of your employees, ask them about their values. What matters most to them? How would they like to contribute to your company?
If they don’t know their values, encourage them to find out. Different tests and tools can start the journey of discovery. And learning to understand the inner conflicts can kickstart a transformation.
