We: How to Increase Performance and Profits Through Full Engagement

Epilogue

In January of 2010, The Conference Board released a report revealing that only 45 percent of workers in the United States were satisfied with their jobs, which is the lowest level in the 23-year history of the poll. This dissatisfaction is seen across all ages, income levels, and job types. Despite the presence of the Great Recession, their analysis concludes that the decline of job satisfaction is neither cyclical nor correlated to the economy. The downward trend has been steady and steep, representing a 26 percent drop in satisfaction since 1987.^[51]

This is both a social crisis and a business crisis. Emotions at work, whether positive or negative, spill over to the home and cross over to our spouse, children, and friends. Disengagement is harmful to our physical and mental health. For companies, an engaged workforce leads to higher growth and profits and the difference between an engaged and disengaged workforce can have a dramatic impact in total shareholder value.

People view work as either a Job with a focus on money, a career with a focus on advancement, or a calling with a focus on contribution. We have an innate tendency to exert our knowledge, skills, and talents in ways that increase our self-esteem, self-worth, and happiness. But when our work is viewed as just a job for a paycheck, we cheat ourselves. When we have goals but they consist of stepping stones to career achievement, our engagement goes up, but it's tenuous and shallow. Only when we pursue the Career-Life ...