Why HR Should be Mindful of Employee Passion

We scribe on all things HR to add value to your organisation

by | Nov 30, 2020

Much can be said when it comes to what is required when finding balance in one’s life. Fundamentally, we as human beings spend our lives teetering between what we love doing and what we are required to do to make a living. For most, as said by Hyde Bailey, “A garden requires patient labour and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfil good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.” This labour of love is often utilised by those who find passion in what they do, though there are few who are afforded the opportunity to do as such when it comes to the job they work within. Although difficult, this does not mean passion can never ignite, one just needs to know how to do so.

Most of us would agree that finding yourself within a work environment you do not enjoy is more common than any of us would like. Many have experienced that one job in which we find ourselves absolutely loathing our time there, whether this is as a result of poor communication, annoying peers or even possibly our bosses. Whatever the reason, the result is nearly always the same: a work-life devoid of passion.

So, how can HR deal with employee passion if it is indeed as important as many believe? According to a study from Deloitte, employees need to exhibit these three key attributes in order to be passionate about their job:

  • A questioning disposition that actively seeks out new challenges in order to improve faster
  • A connecting disposition that seeks to build trust-based relationships with others who can help them get to a better answer
  • Long-term commitment to making a significant impact in a domain

These attributes reflect upon the idea that we, as humans, crave and positively respond to creating an impact. If we find our work-life monotonous and unimpactful, it is undeniable that we will find ourselves feeling uninterested in our work. The moment we feel more appreciated is also the moment we ask more questions and the moment we begin to improve upon ourselves. Statistically, an increase in passion results in several positive developments. According to Deloitte once again, among employees who have these attributes and are therefore passionate:

  • 71 per cent report working extra hours
  • 89 per cent report feeling focused, immersed, and energized in their work
  • 68 per cent are optimistic about the future of their company
  • 71 per cent feel they are encouraged to work across the company
  • 67 per cent feel the company collaborates well with customers

These stats reflect how truly important unlocking passion for employees is. Instead of forcing or urging an employee to work harder or faster, they are instead drawn to it. HR can remain mindful of employee passion by keeping tabs of engagement and by establishing a positive connection with contributing ideas and effort.

A job can be compared to a relationship in many instances. Initially, it is exciting and new but slowly the excitement fades as we slip into our daily activities. In order to avoid expensive employee turnover, HR should be mindful of keeping employees engaged by having a person to person contact and by regarding employees as essentials of the business. 

Luckily, we have a handy Workplace Wellness Checklist to make it easy to refer to what may or may not be missing when it comes to the wellness and resulting passion of a business’ employees. Download it for free for our ideas on how to reignite that missing passion.

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