Many employees don’t want to return to the office after the pandemic. They don’t want to, because the office didn’t fully meet their needs. They have learned to meet those needs differently and are afraid of putting on the old work uniform that no longer fits them. Hands up, who hasn’t thought about winning the lottery and quitting work for ever? Hand on heart, who hasn’t thought that after a win they would arrange their life and their work differently? The question is: why wait?
Most jobs and most work environments can be reorganised so that employees can carry out their duties without compromising the values that matter to them.
In most positions, employees are expected to be:
independent,
engaged,
creative,
professional,
responsible for what they do and how they do it,
willing to take the initiative.
And what do employees expect (apart from fair pay)? Most employees expect:
Autonomy in how they do their work.
A friendly atmosphere at work.
That their boss will trust them.
To be able to develop in a safe environment.
To see prospects in their work.
That their work will matter.
The answer to this is a method for improving satisfaction and fulfilment in one’s work that has been promoted for several years, called job crafting.
The method, popularised by psychologists Amy Wrzesniewski and Jane Dutton of Yale and the University of Michigan respectively, focuses on restoring employees’ sense of meaning in the tasks they carry out. More meaning means more engagement, because when employees take ownership of their own work, satisfaction with the results automatically grows.
So instead of changing jobs, maybe it’s better to start by redesigning the one you have?
According to this method, it is the employees who make changes to their work in order to get as much enjoyment out of it as possible.
Changes can be made on three levels:
Changes in task content and tools – physical changes at the workstation
In this area, employees analyse their tasks and how they carry them out. They may be given more freedom in choosing tools and working methods, if the technological process or procedures allow it. This area of crafting is ideal for explorers and creative professions. It works wherever unconventional ways of achieving goals are welcome.
Cognitive changes – a deeper understanding, perspective and vision of tasks
How we understand our tasks, what meaning we see in them and what value they bring us is the subject of cognitive changes. At this stage, it’s worth employees analysing their activities in depth.
Changes in relationships – improving relationships with other people at work.
This area is very broad and mainly concerns how we shape our relationships with others and share knowledge and ways of working. A good way of channelling this area is a mentor role in the organisation. Supporting others brings satisfaction too.
The benefits of job crafting
Both the employer and the employee can benefit from this method of shaping work. The condition is that both sides trust each other and take the appropriate action. What can happen?
Job satisfaction may increase.
Employees may become more engaged in the team’s work.
Productivity, and also quality, may improve when employees are more engaged.
The risk of burnout will fall.
Employees will be more willing to use their potential and develop their competencies.
There will be fewer sick days caused by stress and exhaustion.
Employees’ adaptability increases, which matters in a situation of constant change in organisations.
Is there a risk that employees will leave? The risk always exists when an employee realises that a particular workplace isn’t their dream job and that their heart is pulling them elsewhere. Let’s be honest: it’s better if that becomes clear earlier rather than after a lot of investment in that employee, lost opportunities and tensions caused by frustration.
Research by many institutions around the world, such as Gallup, McKinsey and Deloitte, shows that employees who find meaning in their work and have influence over how it is shaped are more loyal and more engaged, and are a good driving force and role model for others.
Where to start with job crafting?
Job crafting works best as a bottom-up initiative. You can’t impose activities on employees. If you want employees to take responsibility for their tasks, first of all trust them and give them a free hand. Build the right atmosphere, give reinforcing feedback, develop employees’ competencies and, most importantly, listen to what they have to say. If you do this and invite employees to reshape their work, the likelihood that they will want to do it increases.
Job crafting may be an answer for those employees who are afraid of returning to the office. Some companies try to tempt employees with food – so they decide to provide free meals. Some offer subsidised commuting. But these are shallow incentives that only work in the short term. Is an employee reluctant to come back to the office for fear of being hungry? Or is something else bothering them, e.g. excessive control, information chaos, imposed ways of carrying out tasks, unnecessary discussions, gossip, noise, a lack of flexible working hours, etc.? It’s worth answering honestly – and best of all, asking employees and inviting them to redesign their own jobs.
