Good Work in Great Workplaces

Amy Lyman, Co-Founder, Director Corporate Research,
Great Place to Work Institute, Inc.

Good work - a simple, straight-forward phrase that captures a deeply held desire. The ability to work in a way that is good for one's self and good for others fuels many dreams, entrepreneurial aspirations and job searches as people look for humanizing, meaningful work. Wistful discussions about the longing for good work are common as the relationship between the words 'good' and 'work' has often been strained in public conversation. Yet this is changing - due in part to the recognition and development of many organizations in which 'good work' is actively promoted.

Great workplaces that provide people with good work and good working conditions - being treated with respect, having opportunities to learn and grow, working in a fair and just environment - do exist and are becoming more plentiful. Organizations in which good work can be found are often more financially successful than their peers, experience lower turnover and receive more resumes for open positions. In these organizations people experience trustworthy leadership and are encouraged to seek a balance between personal and work commitments. These organizations exist in all industries, all parts of the world, with union and non-union labor, and come in all sizes - from 50 employees working in a design firm in Pittsburgh, PA to over 140,000 people working for a grocery store chain in Florida.

Five steps forward

What will it take for more companies to provide good work and a great experience for employees, for the tenor of our conversations to shift so that expectations of finding good work are the norm, and settling for mediocre or lousy work is a rare exception?

First and foremost, people need to accept that the separation that is sometimes asserted between a person's ability to do good work and be paid well and fairly is artificial. While there are many jobs in which people work to make money and their employment circumstances detract from their quality of life, this is not inherent to the process of working and making money. There are thousands of organizations around the world that provide people with opportunities to do good work, and there are many thousands more that could be transformed to offer good work - and these organizations can and do pay well and provide benefits that support people's lives. We, all of us, need to put our collective minds to the task of providing and/or asking for good work rather than settling for whatever is available.

Second, and this is especially important for countering nay-sayers, is to understand that good work is 'work', not play - although there are certainly times in some organizations when the quality of the workplace experience is so enjoyable that it might feel like play. Good work is fulfilling and requires time and effort, sometimes long hours, sometimes a bit of drudgery, yet also learning, development, challenge and accomplishment. It is work in the sense that one is employed to contribute to the overall success of the group, not to sit around and play checkers or leave early to catch a favorite TV show. In great workplaces, where employees and leaders trust each other, many versions of the 'work hard-play hard' saying exist - people enjoy what they do at the workplace and enjoy what they do outside of work and are able to pursue both.

Third, leaders need to know that creating a positive workplace environment in which people experience their work as good, will be both personally and professionally rewarding. Personally it is rewarding as many people will flourish in a positive workplace environment, and will look upon their leaders as great people for creating opportunities that help them to flourish. Professionally, leaders will be rewarded by the greater financial and marketplace success of their companies. There is overwhelming evidence that supports the assertion that a positive, trust based workplace culture contributes positively to the success of an organization. Overwhelming evidence that should not be denied - it is credible, longitudinal, industry specific, and detailed enough that any business leader can find data and a story that will mirror his/her own situation and provide guidance for how to make improvements in their own organization.

Fourth, creating an environment to support good work is not a 'soft' activity. I believe that the term 'soft skills' applied to the intensely complicated tasks of understanding and motivating people, teams and organizations is harmful to the 'good work' movement. Human beings are wonderfully complex and creative, and the ability to lead a group of people to visionary heights takes skill, thoughtfulness, patience, perseverance, risk and determination. The term soft skills is used too often as a way of letting 'serious business people' off the hook for their harmful behavior. People skills are skills, just like those of a top notch surgeon, designer, welder or operations manager - when performed at a level of excellence they make a significant contribution to the success of the organization. When denigrated or denied importance their absence contributes to the sub-optimal function or even demise of the organization.

Fifth, leaders benefit from having multiple opportunities in which to test and develop their leadership abilities. While business schools may provide a concentrated diet of technique and information, attending business school is not adequate preparation for leadership, and may be a hindrance to many. People from a variety of disciplines should aspire to create and lead organizations. Some people who attend business schools are taught that they've learned it all in the classroom and simply need to go out and apply their knowledge. The confrontation between class knowledge and acquired knowledge can be ugly if one or the other form of knowledge is declared better than the other. Both are needed, and classroom knowledge from a broad spectrum of disciplines is essential to the development of successful leaders, as are practical experience and life lessons.

The Human Element

And how does creating a great workplace, providing good work, and being a successful leader fit into social responsibility? While much of the initial work in the area of social responsibility addressed the very pressing concerns of child labor, unsafe working conditions in developing economies, environmental degradation and the negative consequences of a throw-away economy, it is now time to include the sustainability of human beings as part of the social responsibility agenda. Perhaps it is past time.

Addressing concerns with the sustainability of human beings - and the role of good work in elevating the human condition - is a natural extension of the earliest work done in the social responsibility field. The pursuit of sustainability - inclusive of long-term survival and the changes needed to insure health and happiness - is dependent on changes in how humans occupy, exploit and contribute to the planet and interact with and support each other. All of this happens in workplaces.

And, in those workplaces that already are paying attention to human sustainability - creating environments in which people are treated with respect, management is honest and ethical, and fair practices are the norm - financial success, a positive reputation in the marketplace, and the ability to attract and retain the best employees are all greater than that found in the broader business community. What are you waiting for?

Change is Happening Now

All of us at times find reasons to step aside from opportunities to change our behavior or pursue a new path, fearing the challenge of something unknown, or enjoying the comfort of what we already understand, even if at times it is a bit boring or disquieting. As the knowledge boundaries around the world have disappeared and we can see more clearly the consequences of our actions, the imperative to change the way we work and consume is now. A few areas in which great workplaces are responding:*

• Health care costs are too high - in great workplaces there are many unique programs underway to encourage healthier behavior, minimize the negative effects of stress that can come from bad work, and reduce healthcare related expenses. (see Whole Foods, Lincoln Industries, SAS Institute)


• Garbage is too plentiful - many of the best companies recognized around the world have reduce, reuse and recycle programs that have cut their consumption and waste output significantly, and lead to new and creative approaches to product development and customer service. (see Publix Supermarkets, REI, NetApp)


• Discrimination and prejudice bring poverty - both up-front and behind-the-scenes support for traditionally disenfranchised people has broadened the opportunities available to people in both developed and developing countries, providing good work, greater resources for basic personal needs, and sustainable economic activity. (see Goldman Sachs, Marriott, Eileen Fisher)


• Environmental exploitation is degrading the earth and people's livelihood - creative minds, unleashed in workplaces where collaboration and innovation are supported, are developing ways to minimize or eliminate environmental damage and meet needs for electricity, clothing, housing, food, transportation, communication - all those activities on which economic activity depends. (see Qualcomm, FedEx, Parkway Properties)