Friday, October 19, 2018

The Human Dimension

man on body of water during daytime

It can be easy, far too easy, to make decisions about people while forgetting that they are human. On paper, people can be moved about or given extra tasks and assignments or refused time off and the human dimension is not considered. On paper, no one has a breakdown or has to explain a harsh schedule to a family.

Decision-makers, the reasoning goes, are supposed to be cool operators and taking exhaustion, families, pride, and sacrifice into account is regarded as social worker stuff; a sign of weakness or excessive sensitivity.

I've noticed, however, that many of the toughest decision-makers do consider those "soft" concerns. They know that neglecting them carries a price. Over time, indifference to stress and hardships can drive off even the most dedicated employees. 

And if enough good people leave, the indifferent boss may learn what stress is really like.

[Photo by Mubariz Mehdizadeh at Unsplash]

No comments: