Heaven and the other end of the stick.

What does workplace heaven look like to you? From my experience talking to clients and friends and colleagues and the lady at the Post Office, most people don't believe it exists. So creating it could be a problem.

I call it the No Shit Workplace because it seems more realistic for many. Although the idea stemmed from a conversation where someone described their workplace as where they felt heard and seen, worked on significant projects, had a reasonable degree of autonomy, had a supportive team, and had a manager who trusted and stretched them, doing work that they felt mattered. Then, hearing this description, the listener looked increasingly amazed and confounded and eventually managed to utter the words, "Noooo Shiiitttt!!!" Such was the disbelief - and maybe even a little jealousy - that this was a possibility.

I tend to look at three components in the workplace to see where we are and how we can move closer to the 'heaven' end.

What do we believe about our people? Do we set up an environment for success and trust them to do their best?

On the shitty end, our people are a cost to minimise, paying the lowest amount the market or the law will allow while having the fewest people employed to do the job. Our systems and processes are to be followed, no matter how counterproductive. And people should do what they are instructed to do when they are instructed to do it.

At the heaven end of the stick, our employees are seen as profit and value creators for the company. So, to help them do their best, they are supported by simple processes that clear the way rather than get in it. And employees are trusted and given the autonomy - and the capability through development - to act in the company's best interest.

Does your workplace believe their people create the outcomes and do their best to clear the way and provide the support and freedom to do that? And what do we do about that if the answer is "No!" (Let's dive deeper into that in the coming weeks)