“The decline in job satisfaction is widespread among workers of all ages and across all income brackets.” This is the opening line to a major report on worker satisfaction in the American workforce.[1] This report has been picked up by al the major news organizations.[2]

To me this indicates the time is ripe for “a new way to work”. 

How would a new way to work impact worker satisfaction? The Conference Board found that the number one challenge for companies is to keep their workers “engaged and motivated.”  The big question is: How?  Traditional approaches such as wage and benefit incentives do not seem to be making a difference.

Thus, a new approach is called for that is not driven by economic incentives alone. This approach needs to be informed by a higher purpose than simply increased productivity. The companies need to connect their workforces to a vision of how their work is adding value to the global village in which they live.

This is what the new way to work is all about. It is about more than simply getting a job done, it is about WHY that job is important to be done and WHY it is important to do that job well.

Workers are intelligent enough to know that doing their jobs well so that company stock price increases, shareholders grow wealthy and CEO’s get fat bonuses, is not really as significant as doing their jobs well so that communities benefit, children can live in safety, the environment is wisely cared for and local and global problems can be solved to the benefit of all humanity. These are the incentives that will motivate a 21^st Century workforce. 

The sooner Corporate America wakes up to this reality the better!