It’s the middle of the week, and we’re sure career-seekers and employees out there are looking for some sensible discussion on the topics that hit home. How about our latest editorial series, then? You’d love to join us? Hop in!
What we have for everyone today is something that’s not always discussed outside of the company guidelines and conduct manuals. We always hear about what the workplace should be in these rapidly-changing times. Let’s try to see what the workplace is NOT, so we can understand both sides of it.
- IT’S NOT A PLACE TO HANG OUT.
From the word itself, the workplace is a “place of work”. It is where work objectives are accomplished in order to deliver the results required by the organization to achieve its goals. By naming it the workplace, we imply that its primary use is work-related.
When the workplace is used for recreational purposes, or for socialization outside of the normal employee engagement activities and natural human interactions, its purpose is ignored. It becomes a place where little work is done and much time is spent engaging in leisurely and amusement activities either alone or with colleagues. This, obviously, negatively impacts productivity and undermines time-bound plans and strategies laid out by any organization.
The root cause of the problem of bringing leisure and amusement to work is that there is not enough opportunity for that outside the office. That could be due to difficulties with prioritizing and managing the use of time, as well not having enough time left after work.
So what can be done to ensure that the workplace remains a place for work? Work-life balance must be present. When there is enough leisure and amusement outside the office, there will be no craving when it’s time for work. If the job doesn’t offer enough work-life balance, that issue can be discussed with direct superiors and with human resources.
At the end of the day, there’s always a way to address burnout without having to sacrifice workplace productivity. Balance is the key.