Are you familiar with the term “Mordor on Domaniewska”?
Of course. Employees of the corporation called as a cluster of office buildings in Warsaw’s Mokotów district where the headquarters of their employers.
This is also the name of fanpejdża on FB. From the posts can be concluded that the work in the corporation is “a little funny, a little scary.” Funny, because corporations are working thousands of people who have similar observations and experience. Terrible, because sometimes demands on employees are very large, and the degree of job odhumanizowania huge.
Corporations are different – in some conditions are severe, the other is working very well. Each employee has his answer to the question why he joined the company great: because develop myself because I realize interesting projects, because I am part of a large structure, because I work for a good CV, because I have a proper salary and I can support my family, because I can use languages Foreign. The corporation many offers and lots of demands. Something for something.
Is it really so little friendly work environment? Even 10-20 years ago, corporations were the perfect place for the young and educated people. And today, associations are often negative.
Several years ago, time in the corporation was unique. They treated it as a chance for money and development. In the changing economic realities, when they lived prosperous, he appeared unique in those days the employer. And obtaining a post in one of the first corporations in the domestic market, it was a success. After several years of such employers it is much more and work with them thousands of Poles. Employment in the corporation ceased to be something special, in large cities has become massive. At the same time the material level of society stood up, so working in large companies ceased to be so attractive. Well, these dozen years revealed their specificity, not only pluses, but also minuses. It is worth noting that on the one hand, more and more talk about corporations as a hostile environment, on the other hand, people pass between corporations, not imagining for work elsewhere.
What prompted you eight years ago to employment in the corporation?
I never thought that I would work in the corporate location. The company began to develop intensively, and for me the most important was that the employer gave me the opportunity to implement projects that interested me and which I have always wanted to pursue. What mattered was that I could work in an international environment, use every day in the work of a foreign language, work with interesting people and a lot to learn from them.
She gave you this job because .. .
Because I led me to a state of extreme exhaustion. I spent a few months on sick leave, I had to completely regenerate tiredness. Waiting for me attractive position, about which I thought taking two years earlier, but … returning after release, I knew I did not want to go back to the corporation, only to start their own business. I did not mean for anyone to work with.
She lady on the “other side” – she founded a consulting firm and a foundation that helps prevent burnout. What do you decided except that you did not want to go back to the corporation?
Even much earlier smoldering within me think about the company, I wanted to deal with the implementation of dreams. In the period when I was on vacation and I was wondering what to do next, my partner Tom Kuryło suggested that we do something together. Thus was born Tobe, as the sum of our previous professional experience in the business, which now share the position of external advisors. The Foundation is the result of experience Slowlajf state of burnout. I knew about the state of burnout want to speak. Because the more I talked about it with the environment, the more it turned out that the people of this state or have already experienced, or know him through the prism of the experience of friends. On the burnout is exposed to each, and firing can and should be prevented.
What is the scale?
Very high. With conducted by our foundation survey – which was attended by several hundred respondents representing small and large, with Polish and foreign capital occupying managerial and specialist positions – shows that as much as 40 percent. people feel burned professionally. At the same time, respondents indicated that the problem of burnout applies to 70 percent. companies. It should be noted that this phenomenon is present not only in business. To burn heavily exposed are doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, teachers, journalists or programmers.
What causes burnout, since it concerns so many groups of workers?
phenomenon is observed several factors, which indicated the American Research. Christina Maslach. One of the primary is work overload and fatigue. In my case, it resulted directly from the high-intensity activities and excessive occupancy duties. Overloading can also be a result of the increasing complexity of work. The causes of burnout are also perceived conflict of values, disturbed interpersonal relationships in the workplace, no sense of justice or in the end the lack of a sense of control and the situation, when received the award in the broad sense is lower than expected.
The corporation a common practice that the chair. 19 project manager instructs the employee, noting that he has to be ready at noon. seven in the morning the next day.
I do not happily met, but I hear about such cases constantly. And it’s not about situations where an exceptionally need to roll up our sleeves and work longer, even at the expense of the rest. Extended hours and reckless, irrational expectations are often the norm. The employee does not have time to rebuild strength and regain balance.
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There is a lack of respect for employee privacy?
You hear about places where superiors seem to forget that man is not just a worker. But privacy – family, partners, children, hobbies, relaxation – has an impact not only on the level of employee satisfaction in life, but above all for his daily level of efficiency. This is a paradox, because if the employee did not spend so much time on professional duties and devote more attention could regenerate, would work more efficiently and in less time, have carried more jobs and a higher level of quality. It is not always employed themselves aware of this issue and trying to function, even though their internal batteries are exhausted. And although scrupulously guard the lines are in the cell, he would not defuse it apart expect that somehow without the “battery” will operate on. In this way they come to our people with serious health problems caused by overloading the body due to excessive work. In such situations, even a two-week vacation is not enough to regenerate strained strength.
Employees do not perceive that they are working too much?
No, but the body sends signals . Sleep problems with the digestive system, with pressure or even the lack of resistance in influenza season. This example shows an interesting specificity of Polish reality – people come to work sick. The disease lasts for a month, not three days, by the way they infect all collaborators. Everyone in this lose, but the employee proves that he cares about the welfare of the employer, and the employer feels satisfied with this attitude, it is expected accepts it.
Why put the good of the company employees more than their own?
Because they are afraid to lose their jobs, because they are ambitious, because they want to advance. Because the organization allows them to achieve some personal benefits and goals. Not good if shaken by it is balance and work becomes the sole or main element of life.
So in terms of the amount of work? In the case of corporations number of obligations is not adjusted to the physical capacity of the worker?
grantor responsibilities to subordinates superiors themselves are under pressure from implementing his own plan. I understand managers who argue: I have 30 employees, I do not have time to analyze in each case how much they are burdened with work. So you do not have time for this, which is the basis for the managerial role. In practice, the complexity of tasks in a big company is so large, and the pace of work is so high that the situation of a single worker killed in tonnes analyzed and written reports of all kinds. It is sad facts.
I know cases where workers hide from the heads of corporations they work overtime because they do not want to show that not Make the with the tasks.
And it creates a vicious circle – I am afraid to show that I work overtime, because I do not want it to be this bad assessed; I work overtime, because I’m afraid that in ordinary time not to the product; I knead not because I have more and more work, but I’m afraid to tell the boss. In organizations, people are often afraid to talk openly about what is bothering them, although in theory the employer says that it was for him depend on open communication. Such dissonance refers not only to corporations.
Who reports to the foundation? People exhausted intensity of work?
Yes. Sometimes they say that in practice, worked on two, rather than one position. Often the men, although they are generally less likely than women talk about problems. I’m glad you decide to contact, because for 2.5 year of foundation, I found out that burnout is a taboo in Poland. If we pretend that the problem does not exist, it can not be prevented, the situation did not improve.
What do they expect people who report to the foundation?
Please contact with the person who will help them. In this case, we follow them to the professionals who operate close to their place of residence. Often the first step is selected coach interviews with the person needing help and decides whether enough coaching sessions, or whether the problem is more advanced and you need to contact a doctor or psychotherapist.
Is the part of people contacting not the most important question I leave from work?
Yes, but we can not make these decisions for them. I do not do it.
A complain about the rat race?
The competition is present in the corporation, but can not prejudge that causes only negative effects. Because she does not rule out building good relationships in the team. But if it leads to disruption of interpersonal relations, destroys the unity of the department, resulting in a lack of camaraderie and subsidiarity – then there is stress, which leads to mental and physical exhaustion. In addition, rotating teams often difficult to build relationships with others – for what if zaprzyjaźnimy with someone, and after a while that person will either be in my team, or in the company. As a result, the labor spent a lot of time and it can also be a place where there is true cross. This causes additional stress associated with coming to work. Corporations recognize this and other problems, and increasingly try to workplace was “nice”.
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What exactly nice doing?
There are eg. Relaxation rooms, space equipped with footstools and sofas or different kind of game where the employee can even by 10-15 minutes during the day to rest. It is important, however, that employed actually had time to run with a time of rest during the day to use. I know a company that allowed use of the gym at its headquarters. Good idea, provided that people will have time to exercise, and the employer also realize how important it is relaxing – both from the point of view of efficiency and well-being. Similarly, the additional medical care provided by the company. Employees use it, but it’s worth to the employer informed further that it is important – from the point of view of both sides – monitor the status of health in the hard work. It is worth thinking abnormally. Let me give an example of a public institution, which conducted a workshop on the prevention of burnout. In this framework we have developed the ways in which this particular employer can take care of energy resources employed. And it turned out that the most effective and cheapest solution would be to enable both short naps employees in the workplace. Sleep during the day, even though short-lived, highly restorative and good for efficiency. It is not, moreover, nothing new – in a company doubted whether not allow naps during lengthy meetings, if a part of the meeting is not related to the particular employee who participates in it. Even though this idea seems to be controversial, it suggests that they are looking for solutions to support recovery, relief, as there is time. It is essential that such solutions to look for the good of both parties. This does not solve the problems arising from the system, but it can minimize its negative effects.
Employees corporations complain about the lack of time. But it bothers them too that in the corporate wasting it on pointless procedure or task.
For example, to determine why something went wrong and who is to blame. The energy reaching such an investigation could be spent on the work, and it is wasted. The corporation is a massive structure that to work, it must rely on the procedures of the proceedings. Sometimes they seem illogical, unnecessary, but it is not easy to change anything overnight in such a big entity. Therefore, even if a solution to counteract burnout should start with ourselves and introduce the method of small steps – should focus on what causes a loss of energy among workers in my surroundings, and think about how to stop wasting it. Just look around that everyone around you. That people create relationships and teams, or corporations, or in smaller organizations. It’s people build quality of cooperation. Everyone has an influence on it.
These huge structures are also often its own system of values, which is based on care for the interests of the employer. I require that the employee has adapted to it.
The employer has the right to indicate what values they are guided. Especially that corporations operate not from yesterday, mostly they have a long tradition of business and operate in many different markets, many countries that differ in culture or civilization. A clear system of values acts as a binder. Besides, if the organization underlines the values we headed, it sends the same signal: we want people who respect them and agree with them. At the same time she should – at the stage of recruitment – choose workers who share these beliefs.
It smells to me brainwashing – all these messages such as “you’re from today member of our big family,” this celebration , meetings with the management, motivation meetings, announcing, as increased “us” sales, and how poorly it went, “including” the competition, the strict hierarchy of positions and their terminology. Is the corporation does not work a little on the basis of sect?
Celebra serves to maintain a sense of teamwork and identity. Some of the wording used in corporations can mock, because they are pompous. But they serve to develop a belief that everyone – from the top to the bottom rung – belong to one community. Corporate strategic meetings with management are needed because when they are gone – workers complain about the lack of them, are one of the sources of communication on the levels of the objectives of the company, its market position and the economic situation. Another issue is that these meetings are the final formula.
It’s not like that since the adoption of the labor employed in the corporation sticks to the head of a new Decalogue? First Commandment: you will not have objectives other than profits of the company. Second Commandment – do not call the manager to no avail. Third – on Sunday, celebrating, if we allow you to not work …
The employee himself must weigh whether working in the corporate interests me and gives me a big enough advantage that I am able to adapt to its code of ethics, even if the end does not share the values that guide my employer. These are important individual decisions, confirming a basket of personal values. Nobody is forced labor in the corporation. Another issue is the curious paradox that the people creating organizations really would like to have carried on their banners values were fully reflected in practice – meanwhile have a feeling that is not always the case. This raises frustration.
A is not so that employees give themselves to impose this new system of values and after passing through the door at the headquarters of the company are quite different from those in everyday life? Anyone got a promotion and day-to-day forgets how working at a lower position. I take ethically difficult decisions, for example. Absolve a person with whom previously worked for years, explaining: “I was only following orders from above.”
This question raises important issues of values, ethics, promotion and dismissal. Quoted the translation in general should not have happened, and is very common, and not just in corporations. Promoted to a manager – as is the case quite frequently – it is a major challenge for such a person. Available means trying to build position to reach the expectations of superiors and if someone promoted, it attempts to check in a new role. It is, as life shows, can affect the decisions against their conscience. This is done illusory rationalization: I had to take such a decision, because objectively there was no alternative. Really not? In the end, the employee must do the same bill – whether my work is worth making such choices, whether I care about her enough that tackling ethical doubts. And if there is no discomfort for the reason that the work decides guided by different values than in the private life. Each take individual decisions.
The Corporation teaches that there is no sentiment? Managers, even those sacrificing to the company, also may lose their jobs after all.
There were high-profile cases such “difficult” exemptions, if for a given person prepared to pack cartons, and at the office building waiting ambulance. But I also witnessed a very human behavior employer in such difficult situations for the employee and generally humane approach to parting with an employee, when it was necessary. People create situations.
Do you work in a corporation has even some pros? Are certainly attractive salaries and bonuses of employees.
Of course. Working in large organizations gives a sense of security – for example by providing additional medical packages. This is the basic benefit for subordinate. Certainly advantage is the possibility of development – to participate in various training courses, continuing education programs, the possibility of co-financing education, etc. It is very important for many people the opportunity to travel frequently around the world. This will involve the opportunity to use and improve their knowledge of foreign languages. I know many people who take jobs in corporations, because they had knowledge that the employer will allow them some time to work in another location attractive for them. It is important to also scale projects. Big companies spend big budgets on them, because in practice, as organizations have greater financial resources than many a state. This enables employed to gain experience, which does not receive anywhere else.
It’s also the stability of employment – mostly corporations employ on the basis of contracts of employment, rather than civil law that can be solved overnight.
It also provides a sense of security. In addition, the corporations are functioning normally developed human resources departments to ensure respect for the labor law. On the other hand, if we see two sides of a coin, also in corporations, like in other businesses, people can work from month to month, fearing for various reasons of their employment. Is it the lack of achievement of corporate goals and the great restructuring, or lack of resources in a smaller company to continue to maintain the position. There is clearly good and bad places, all have pros and cons, everyone has the opportunity to choose in which the organization would like to work.
And if the work in this company still connects prestige?
It still has meaning, but I feel that less than a dozen years ago. Today, when someone announces that work in corporations, more and more often in the voice of the caller will hear a tone of compassion. Corporations give you a good experience, provided that there is an awareness of their values, goals and is careful health.
Catherine jumper originator and współfundatorka SLOWLAJF – Foundation Against burnout. President of the consulting firm Tobe Sp. with o.o.
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