The New Way to Corporate

Posted on May 05, 2021 by Kamaria Joy, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.

When I think about the way our conversations about work have changed in the last decade, I feel hopeful. Nowadays, terms like ‘job satisfaction,’ ‘company culture’ and ‘work-life balance’ are more present than ever. And for good reason! We’re sick and tired of working just for a paycheck, of giving away our best years to jobs that don’t challenge us and companies that don’t value us.

But it can’t be that much different from previous generations, right? After all, that dread of waking up in the morning to go to a soul-sucking job isn’t exclusive to us 21st-century folk.

There’s an interesting quote by film critic Pauline Kael in Studs Terkel’s 1972 book, Working. She said: “I consider myself one of the lucky ones because I really enjoy what I do. I love my occupation. But I’ve spent most of my life working at jobs I hated. I’ve worked at boring office jobs. I never felt they were demeaning, but they exhausted my energy and spirit. I think most people work at jobs that mechanize them and depersonalize them.”

Fast forward to 2021, and you’ll find that 9 out of 10 Americans would make less money for more meaningful work. More and more people are done with feeling trapped in their jobs, wasting their full potential.

Trust me—Before I became an executive coach, I was in that place, too. Unhappy at work, with unfulfilling jobs because I thought they’d lead to something better, to pay the bills, or just because it’s what I had. But deep inside, I knew I could do better!

So, if feeling unhappy with stifling jobs isn’t new, why are we talking so much more about it than ever? What has changed?

A NEW GENERATION TAKES OVER

Remember those articles from about 10 years ago claiming Millennials killed a ton of industries—diamonds, mayonnaise, weddings, department stores? Yes, I remember them, too. While they were vast oversimplifications of much more complex problems, they were right about one thing: Millennials wanted to —or, out of necessity, had to — do things their own way.

Since we started joining the workforce in the early 2000s, we brought our own ideas about the workplace: we wanted it to be more flexible, open to our contributions, and with a mission to leave a positive impact in the community.

We’re the generation who saw diamonds for what they really were: overpriced rocks! We’re less impressed with status and more concerned with finding a deeper sense of meaning in our work.
Nobody likes to feel just like a cog in the machine.
Now, this doesn’t fit the outdated corporate narrative. In the old days, the goal was to devote your life to one company. It was a lot more common to retire after 30 or more years with the same company.

Anyone under 40 will tell you that’s not the dream anymore. And that’s good! Should we dedicate our time, hard work, talent, and skills to a company we don’t care about, where we don’t feel seen or valued?

For them, most times, the answer is a resounding ‘no’.

This alternative way of thinking is a radical transformation of the traditional corporate culture. This new culture values innovation over consistency and individuality over hierarchies is more open to calculated risks and focuses on people rather than results.

A POSITIVE CHANGE FOR EVERYONE

Millennial or not, revamping corporate culture benefits everyone! Businesses are interested in attracting and retaining talent, so even more traditional companies have had to open up and bring their focus to people, not just money and risk-aversion.

So, how does redefining company culture helps you?

IT IMPROVES YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

I’m sure I don’t need to say that a sense of purpose is really important to people’s mental and physical health, right?

There’s plenty of reason having that sense of purpose feels great:

-It increases your self-esteem
-It takes the focus outside yourself, reducing feelings of anxiety and depression
-It motivates you to do your best work
-It makes you less self-centered and part of something bigger than yourself, which increases positive feelings
-It makes it easy for you to achieve a state of flow

So, staying stuck forever at a job that doesn’t fulfill you is not just a waste of your potential—it’s bad for your health!

IT HELPS YOU BE CURIOUS, NOT JUDGMENTAL

In the traditional corporate mindset, there’s no room for individual innovation. Changes are unnecessary risks, and consistency is more valued than creativity.

There’s no curiosity, no space for renovation.

But here’s the problem: without change and curiosity, there’s no growth! How can you get different (and better) results if you keep doing the same thing? Opening up to renovation and change, even if it might lead to failure, is the only way to learn.

IT OVERHAULS YOUR LEADERSHIP

If you think a new company culture is only good for employees, think twice! As a manager or an executive, you’ll benefit so much from fostering collaboration and bringing your focus back to people.

People are the backbone of your team. Their abilities, knowledge, motivation, and creativity are what move projects forward. Keeping this in mind will improve your leadership skills and build trust in your team.

Stop wasting your time micromanaging. Look up from your screen, give the data a rest, and spend more time building relationships and mentoring your team toward better, happier work.

IT CREATES MORE POSSIBILITIES TO GROW

Back in the day when I was working in hospitality, I dreaded the monotony of it. Don’t get me wrong. I loved –and still do! – working with people. But the lack of purpose was so frustrating. I was working, but I wasn’t growing.

When we change how we think about work, we have a fantastic opportunity to learn from others.

Think about it. When we treat each other as equals in a flat hierarchy, where everyone is not only allowed but encouraged to participate, we all have opportunities to learn from each other. This means that everyone has the opportunity to challenge one another and grow in new ways.

IT EMBRACES MULTIDIMENSIONALITY

Listen, you are a human being (whether you admit it or not, LOL). You can’t just leave your personal life out the door when you walk into an office.

Your experiences, emotions, hopes, and dreams matter! They make you who you are as a person and as a professional. It’s not just a degree, your years of experience, or the revenue you’ve made for the company.
In a new corporate environment, there is room for everything that makes you, you. And there’s room for each of your team member’s individuality, too.

CONCLUSION

The key to feeling happy at work is not just the paycheck, the status, or the large corner office with a view. It’s all about purpose and meaning.

Why do you do this job? Is it letting you exercise those skills you love to use? Does this work allow you to connect and collaborate with others, or with a mission larger than yourself?

Let’s drop the old-fashioned workplace cultures and embrace change, openness, collaboration, and a people-first mindset. Only then can we move forward, connect with others, and become happier at work.

Are you ready to redefine corporative culture, get clarity in your career, find work with purpose and meaning, and decide on your next step? Let’s talk! I’m an executive coach with a mission to help corporate professionals feel inspired and rediscover the passion for their work.