I was reading an article the other day that said that being respected was the most important thing that people want from their work. This made me stop and ponder. Since we spend a huge amount of our adult lives working, and employers spend an awful lot of time trying to figure out how to keep employees engaged, understanding WHAT people work for and WHY is extremely important. On the surface, it seems easy: money to live on, benefits such as health insurance, etc. In my experience working in – and with – many organizations, there’s a much deeper reason: as human beings, we have a strong desire to be a part of, and connect with, something bigger than ourselves. As individuals, we can accomplish many things. In conjunction with others, however, we can go beyond ourselves, working together to help our organizations be successful and fulfill their purpose and our clients to fulfill theirs. Of course everyone wants to be respected, but I believe, it’s respecting others through connection and service that really engages people – and what they really want from working.
