As communities continue to track COVID-19, there is a lot of conversation about businesses opening up and getting everyone back to work. This article is not going to debate the issue of when or if businesses should open up. I just want to talk about the value work provides.
Remember when you were a child and the adults in the world would look down upon you and ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” There was this excitement that you could be anything you wanted to be. As children, we made those dreams come alive through pretend play. We dressed up as police officers, firemen, super heroes, doctors and nurses, teachers and more. We knew within ourselves we had the power to become. As we grew older, we continued to ask ourselves, “What do I want to be?”, “How can I provide for a family?”, “What work do I want to do?”, and “How can I make a difference in the world around me?”
It used to be that you took a job and stayed with that company or industry for years, retiring after many, many years of service. Today, people are more fluid with their jobs and may move from one discipline to another. However, even though a person today may hold 10 different jobs in their career, how many different jobs we hold doesn’t matter. What matters is that we have a job. Because a job or the work we do, provides us much in return for our labors.
Work gives us a sense of place.
Our workplace provides us space we call our own. If you have a desk or a locker, it’s a space that you personalize and organize so you can be motivated and efficient. The office provides the physical space where we come together and share what we know, who we are and where we want to go. We gather around the water cooler, share a meal during lunch break and even meet for a beer after work. For some, the office is a home away from home.
Work provides a sense of belonging.
Work is a place where we bring our skills to the forefront. We were hired for the position we hold and it is this space of belonging that affirms who we are and what we believe. We are a member of a team, all working towards the same goals and outcomes. We work together to serve our customers and clients. When our job is done well, we know we are exactly where we were meant to be. We belong here.
Our job is our livelihood.
Our job provides the means to provide for ourselves. Necessities such as food, shelter, clothing along with the personal indulgences. In his book Think and Grow Rich published in 1937, Napoleon Hill explains, “a capitalistic society guarantees every person the opportunity to provide a useful service and to collect riches in proportion to the value of service.” It is a wonderful thing to be compensated for the work we do. It gives us independence to stand strong; and freedom by not being reliant on another.
Work gives us purpose.
The hours we invest in our work is how we express our belief in our work and find purpose in our toils. We get excited when we solve a customer’s problem or a customer explains, “This is exactly what I’ve been searching for!” We get excited when our service brings peace of mind or care to someone. We smile when our customers smile.
Work provides camaraderie.
Many people consider their co-workers some of their closest friends. There are good days and bad days and our coworkers see us at our best and our worst. Work is a place where we learn about working as a team to accomplish great things. We come together to solve problems, to share the failures and acknowledge others for a job “well done.”
Work gives us a platform.
Work is a place where we find our footing. It’s a place where we learn what we do well and where we struggle. It’s place where we can grow into our best selves. Work provides us a foundation to express the purpose in our heart. It is where we can stand strong as leaders and reach down to raise others up.
Work is our sandbox.
Work is a place where we can be creative and explore things we’ve never done before. You are given new opportunities to take on new projects, build up a castle of ideas. It’s where you test new roadways or create boundaries in order to avoid disasters. It’s where you can get your hands and feet dirty.
What about your work makes you happy? During these past eight weeks, what have you missed about your job? Have you thought about how you can contribute to improving your job and how you work with your coworkers when you get back to the office?
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” I think that’s what work is about. We may not always be our happiest at work; we all have those bad days. But I hope each one of you, makes some difference in our community by the work you do. In doing so, you are helping and serving others. If that holds true, then we all need you. We need your work. We need your contribution to your community.
So, let’s join together and get back to work as safely as we can. Be respectful and cognizant of what you need to do as both when you are on the job and when you are on the other side frequenting a business as a customer. If you want to review the guidelines for opening to business, I recommend the Erie Chamber Covid 19 resource page.