Work as a place of community: what unites us in a competitive world? Part II

In the previous article Work as a place of community: what unites us in a competitive world? Part II We described what is important at work in terms of looking at each other as a group of people who have important needs. They are, after all; the need to work with meaning and sanity. The key needs that characterize us all, which are universal, are: autonomy, competence and the need for interpersonal relationships. To create a work environment that meets these important expectations, the Gallup study provided some guidelines for organizations to create a healthy work environment. Among the recommendations are: building bonds between employees (in a professional ethical way), creating time and space for spontaneous exchange of opinions in the team, an important role of the leader in building a conscious culture of the organization.

Sense of meaning at work

Another, one might say, antidote to social polarization is to notice that what unites us, for example in the workplace, is that each of us is looking for meaning. A job in which we are only to survive, in which we do not see even the slightest goal or value quickly leads to professional burnout, which can have serious consequences such as depression or a mental health crisis. Psychologists from SWPS University conducted a study to put together the concepts of social perception with a sense of the meaning of the profession performed (the perspective of the so-called Big Two). The study was conducted by Malwina Puchalska-Kamińska, psychologist from SWPS University, Dr. Agnieszka Czerw, psychologist from SWPS University in Poznań, Dr. Marta Roczniewska, psychologist from SWPS University in Sopot and Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. The theory, which in English is called the Big Two, states that agency and communality are fundamental dimensions of the perception of oneself and of others. Researchers have shown that pursuing our own goals and career development (agency) affects our sense of professional well-being. However, it is not in the study that we see that it is not the only thing that matters, since it is also very important to go beyond the “I” and act for others (communality).

An important point of the study is the two-dimensional perceived sense by employees. First, what matters for us is a personal perspective (development, the realization of an important goal), and secondly, a global one (meaning for the world and benefit for others). At work, it is also important for us to develop our agency; exploiting our strengths, pursuing important goals strengthens us and gives us a sense of meaning. What creates value is also the creation of community; doing something good, for example, for the community or the environment.

How does this relate to building organizational culture? In a company, benefits are not enough, according to the study they are needed, but they give short-term results. Better results are created by those activities that are long-term and permanently inscribed in the style of running the company; exchange of information, knowledge, participation in volunteer or pro-ecological actions. Of course, the values that guide the organization and which form the ethical foundation of its operation are also of great importance.

The need for psychological security

Today's times are fast, full of contradictions, threads, information - we often get lost in this because hard boundaries have been blurred and we are not always able to find ourselves in a culture of excessive information. The same applies to the work environment; there too, we encounter overwork and overwhelm, which strongly affects our mental health and productivity. At work it is important today among others. innovation and creativity, it is often this that determines the competitiveness of the company. The more psychologically safe work environment we create, the greater the chance to freely express opinions and ideas. It is said that ensuring psychological safety acts as a catalyst for new ideas and team cooperation flourishes. The way conflicts are resolved is also changing; confrontation is not avoided and disagreements are treated with respect, accepted rather than rejected. However, to create a good working atmosphere, the effort of superiors is needed, who must adapt the conditions accordingly. If they ensure safety and psychological comfort, they will open up the opportunity for cross-functional work and interdisciplinary experience, which will ultimately also translate into good results of the organization.

A psychological safe zone at work is also inclusiveness, in which diversity is recognized as an asset and a benefit rather than a form of threat. In such an atmosphere, working people express their opinions better and also learn to accept all otherness. The group is more open to novelties and even if some of the innovations are difficult for them, getting used to changes takes place with an atmosphere of comfort and mutual understanding.

Community as a factor in the success of the organization

At work, we are used to homogeneous, homogeneous groups although globalization and corporate culture have begun to show us, but also often force work in conditions of diversity. How to find yourself in it and not get lost? It seems that creating communities at work can be difficult when each of us is different. In the article Teamwork. 5 facts about diversity in teams published by SWPS University Management Zone based on lecture The power of diverse teams Joanny Heidtman, PhD five facts about inclusive groups at work are presented.

In homogeneous groups, based on closeness and similarity, there is no room for open criticism; loyalty and personal relationships often inhibit sincerity. It is difficult to challenge the decisions of someone with whom we share common experiences, especially in professional situations. Differentiated teams, on the other hand, base their cooperation not on sympathy, but on mutual respect, which favors a substantive exchange of views and effective work, even if the participants do not have sympathy. Homogeneous environments are not conducive to innovation; groupthink and similar schemes of action limit creativity, even among competent experts. Meanwhile, diversity creates the so-called. collective mind (behind Edward Nęcka); a team that thinks together, developing each other's ideas. In such cooperation, ideas cease to be “mine” and become “ours”, and thanks to different perspectives, faster and more accurate solutions are possible. The effectiveness of heterogeneous teams is due to the tension between personalities and ways of acting; some are better at relationships, others at tasks or analysis. The key is to recognize that each team member can play a different role depending on their stage of life or context (M. Belbin's concept). Such tension is creative and leads to better results.

Managing a diverse team requires flexible and distributed leadership. Everyone is assigned tasks and responsibilities - authoritarian style does not work here. Openness, freedom and a clear goal are the basis of action. When a diverse group works under the guidance of a supportive leader, it can achieve truly impressive results.

summary

The workplace can be a community space where diversity, meaning, and psychological safety are critical to employee well-being and organizational success. Working together based on respect, inclusiveness and appropriate leadership allows us to create an environment in which differences do not divide, but unite.

Sources:

1. https://swps.pl/centrum-prasowe/informacje-prasowe/20481-jak-budowac-poczucie-sensu-pracy
2. https://web.swps.pl/strefa-zarzadzania/artykuly/18803-praca-zespolowa-5-faktow-o-roznorodnosci-w-zespolach
3. situ https://www-leaderfactor-com.translate.goog/learn/benefits-of-psychological-safety?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=pl&_x_tr_hl=pl&_x_tr_pto=sge#:~:text=Psychological%20safety%20contributes%20to%20reduced,voicing%20concerns%20or%20seeking%20help.