DNR: The easiest way to kill an engaged workforce
I hope you haven’t experienced this but if you’ve been to a hospital, nursing home or assisted living facility you may have seen a sign above the bed: DNR – Do Not Resuscitate.
One definition of the word resuscitate is to make active or vigorous again. I like that. A lot. I think organizations are guilty of this – not making their employees active again; not allowing them to become vigorous again. Now I know we might debate this, but most would say that DNR is a good thing for a terminally ill patient. Employees however are not terminally ill. They can be vigorous again. But instead I am seeing a different version of the DNR sign: DO NOT RECESSitate.
The definition of RECESSitate is to take a break from the norm and undergo a period of learning, recharging and celebrating accomplishments. This is not happening in today’s workplace. Here is what is happening:
- Training budgets are being slashed. Makes loads of sense that people are your #1 cost and investment in them is going away (sarcasm).
- The order of the day has been do more with less; pick up the work of others as the workforce gets reduced. Hardly a moment is available to recharge?
- Accomplishments? Celebrating? Who has time for that? You do. And it is necessary. It’s also not hard.
RECESSitating an organization can be inexpensive or costly. It can be done by the talent within or bringing in someone from the outside to start an initiative. That choice is yours. But if you take some time to regularly RECESSitate your organization, in the long run you will:
- Show employees they matter
- Make for a better customer experience which results from having an engaged workforce
- Impact your bottom line by reducing absenteeism, experiencing increased sales, or lowering turnover/hiring costs
DNR signs belong in medical facilities; not the workplace. Has your organization hung out the DNR Sign; DO NOT RECESSitate.
