You might have observed employees are leaving an organization after their work every evening. You may wonder by looking at employees who prepares himself 15 minutes prior to actual closing time as if he wants to do something interesting after escaping here. You can also see employees coming late to the work as they have engaged in something interesting before. Do you think that all of them are repelling work to gather bits of entertainments or for the purposes of personal emergencies?
I have observed and convinced that those employees leaving early in office are not heading family directly. Obviously some of them are going for friends gatherings, film shows, entertainment destinations, clubs etc.. Some others are leaving early to complete family related tasks like purchase of household items, getting services done, paying bills etc.. But the group I’m referring still not mentioned. A vast majority of them are heading their charity, political, social development activities etc. after their official time. What makes me more curious that they are showing more interest to these kind of works than their professional work which helps them to survive.
There will be many reasons for such practices. Most of them may not get a job that satisfies him or her completely. They are working to support their family. In this case one can argue that they have no option other than working in a job. But my argument is, they will leave the work premises even if they enjoy the job., or company of their coworkers. They are leaving to charity works, political works, social development works because they think it is their responsibility to the society.
Everybody has a message of purpose of life inherited in their mind. They want to do something meaningful. Businesses are usually failed to represent their purposes other than making money.I agree that purpose of business is to make profit. But it is not the only purpose. Businesses have a social purposes and the business owner and other stake holders needs to understand the purpose of their businesses.
A business should consider all its stake holders including investors, employees, customers, suppliers,service providers, community, environment, future generation, ecosystem etc. before making any decisions. It should also have clarity on the social purposes it serves. Such purposes will motivate an employee to fully devote in his work and he find happiness in working as he know that it is more than making his livelihood.
The story of sweeper lady in NASA who was sweeping the corridors during the visit of President Kennedy; is well known. President asked the lady what you are doing and lady replied that I’m helping to send man to moon. She was not just sweeping to earn her bread but was part of great mission. This kind of purpose will improve customer satisfaction, employee morality, product or service quality etc. which are very crucial for the success of any business.
Some companies are trying to fake such mission. It also will not work as the employees will identify the gap on the first instance of a controversial instruction. They may continue as workers but definitely will lose inspiration and morale.
As Henry Ford said ‘ A business that makes only money is a bad business’. Even a business owner who enjoys most of the profit made by a company will lose enthusiasm if he make only money and will feel no purpose in staying in the business someday.
My point is to have purpose for your business in addition to making money and that will help you stay and grow your business beyond your imaginations.
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