How does an emotional connection play in today’s business climate? We know that automation and artificial intelligence are playing a bigger role than ever before, and a new generation of workers are making up a larger majority of the workforce.
In some ways, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Fundamental to the modern economy, as has always been true, is the human being. At the end of the day, regardless of how much tech is involved in the process, businesses and organizations are teams of humans working together to achieve a shared goal.
Workers consistently rank the emotional connection they have to their work as a key indicator of how happy they are. As a thoughtful leader, you should care. We all have room to grow, to improve on how we conduct ourselves in the world.
Apart from being the right thing to do improving the lives of those who work with and for us is a net benefit. Think about it: If people feel a strong connection to their workplace, and feel that their coworkers and employer can be honest with them, and vice versa, it improves the atmosphere for everyone. It also improves the work-life balance that many people find so elusive these days. With the connections afforded by technology, there are fewer opportunities to unplug and remove oneself from work. The least we can do is make that connection to work a more positive one.
Workplace surveys indicated that workers who are emotionally connected perform better. They’re more invested in the company and have more flexibility to try things in new ways. That’s a huge benefit to you as a leader. Most of the value brought by companies in the modern economy isn’t from creating something new but from innovating something that exists. No longer are we inventing wheels; we’re improving the way they’re made and used.
Trust between workers and those for whom they work creates an environment in which innovation can flourish. In this interconnected, digital world, that’s more important than ever. Without the flexibility to try things, or as Facebook says, to “move fast and break things,” your company is going to trail the pack.
