Do you remember your parents being this unhappy? When you walk the length of the cubicle aisles at your company, it may not be your imagination if you think people are looking a little more down at the mouth. For much of today's workforce, labor complaints of long hours, unsafe conditions, and low pay have given way to frustration about glass ceilings, poor leadership, lack of tolerance for self-expression, and a feeling of being undervalued, according to Craig Ross, president, and Steven Vannoy, CEO, of Pathways to Leadership Inc., and coauthors of the book, "Stomp the Elephant in the Office: Put an End to the Toxic Workplace, Get More Done—and Be Excited About Work Again." Here's some of what Ross and Vannoy notice about a possible dissatisfaction trend:
• "We have Undergone Wholesale Changes In a Generation," says Vannoy. "Our parents and grandparents were the beneficiaries of early century labor struggles: Many of them felt fortunate to have a good job and spent their careers working for the same employer. Today's workers don't have the same mentality and expect more from their chosen vocations."
• Current American Workers Grew Up In a Culture Offering Wide Personal Freedoms and an Expressive Voice in almost every aspect of their lives—except the workplace. "They won't hesitate to leave for greener pastures if they feel undervalued, disrespected, or unfulfilled," says Vannoy. "Or, worse yet," he offers, "they won't leave at all, and instead will take out their frustration on customers."
• Our Dissatisfaction Problem Stems from the Culture We Created, says Ross. "Too many companies tout 'their people' as their greatest asset. But for the vast majority, their people are actually their greatest weakness. The problem is American workers bring phenomenal skills, experience, perspective, and creativity to the workplace, but those qualities are rarely acknowledged or nurtured by managers. Employee frustration is bleeding over into their attitudes and actions in the workplace."
• Many of You Don't Realize How Dire the Situation Is, adds Ross. "The American workplace is toxic, and business leaders simply don't get it," he stresses. "The human potential and creativity being lost every day in America is staggering. Imagine if 1 percent of the ideas, improvements, and solutions swimming in the minds of our workers were acknowledged, considered, and implemented. Our world would change in remarkable ways, and America would gain a huge economic advantage."
• But take Heart, There's No Such Thing As a Bad Worker, Ross asserts. We all want to be great. He says true leadership is not about motivating workers, but about helping them be great by nurturing their gifts. Companies that find creative ways to involve their employees, and make them a part of decisions and solutions, reap big rewards. Those that don't simply won't be able to compete.
• "We have Undergone Wholesale Changes In a Generation," says Vannoy. "Our parents and grandparents were the beneficiaries of early century labor struggles: Many of them felt fortunate to have a good job and spent their careers working for the same employer. Today's workers don't have the same mentality and expect more from their chosen vocations."
• Current American Workers Grew Up In a Culture Offering Wide Personal Freedoms and an Expressive Voice in almost every aspect of their lives—except the workplace. "They won't hesitate to leave for greener pastures if they feel undervalued, disrespected, or unfulfilled," says Vannoy. "Or, worse yet," he offers, "they won't leave at all, and instead will take out their frustration on customers."
• Our Dissatisfaction Problem Stems from the Culture We Created, says Ross. "Too many companies tout 'their people' as their greatest asset. But for the vast majority, their people are actually their greatest weakness. The problem is American workers bring phenomenal skills, experience, perspective, and creativity to the workplace, but those qualities are rarely acknowledged or nurtured by managers. Employee frustration is bleeding over into their attitudes and actions in the workplace."
• Many of You Don't Realize How Dire the Situation Is, adds Ross. "The American workplace is toxic, and business leaders simply don't get it," he stresses. "The human potential and creativity being lost every day in America is staggering. Imagine if 1 percent of the ideas, improvements, and solutions swimming in the minds of our workers were acknowledged, considered, and implemented. Our world would change in remarkable ways, and America would gain a huge economic advantage."
• But take Heart, There's No Such Thing As a Bad Worker, Ross asserts. We all want to be great. He says true leadership is not about motivating workers, but about helping them be great by nurturing their gifts. Companies that find creative ways to involve their employees, and make them a part of decisions and solutions, reap big rewards. Those that don't simply won't be able to compete.
