DENNIS Bakke, former president and chief executive officer of AES Corporation in the United States, has posited a work model that promotes joy at work.

According to Bakke, “joy at work offers a model for the 21st-century company that treats its people with respect, gives them unprecedented responsibility, and holds them strictly accountable, because it’s the right thing to do, not just because it makes good business sense”.

Integrity, fairness, social responsibility and fun are the factors that underpin this model.

To Bakke, “fun was not the Friday afternoon beer blast or the annual holiday party. Rather, fun meant a joy-filled, rewarding, creative work environment, free of autocratic supervisors and staff offices, where each and every employee could fully utilise his or her talents for success”.

If we were to run an informal survey here in Jamaica, how many employees could honestly say that they thoroughly enjoy work? How many workplaces truly allow workers the latitude to fully utilise their gifts and talents? My guess is not many.

Let us look at the differences between the conventional approach versus the joy at work approach as presented by Bakke. As you go through, see where your organisation falls and ask yourself the question: ‘Is the Jamaican workplace ready for this unique and innovative approach to work?’ After all, if one spends so much time at work, shouldn’t it be a fun-filled and joyful experience?

• The principal purpose of the company is creating shareholder value, although other purposes or goals may be mentioned.

• Decisions are made or approved by leaders at the highest practicable organisational level.

• Leaders see their role as managing people and resources.

• Adopt participative management techniques, in which bosses ask subordinates for advice but make the final decisions themselves.

• Job positions, slots, and titles remain basically the same over time. Only the names with the boxes change.

• Oversees rigorous advice process and fire people who do not use it appropriately.

•Pay set by bosses. Management and labour are treated and paid differently even as problems between management and labour often arise.

• Shared values are promoted as a technique to improve chances to achieve economic goals.

• Turnover of employees is high.

Joy at work approach

• The principal goal or purpose of the company is stewarding its resources to serve in an economically strong manner.

• Decisions are made by non-leaders at the lowest practicable organisational level.

• Leaders see their role as serving other employees.

• Allow subordinates to manage resources and make decisions.

•No company-wide job descriptions. Every person is considered unique and must build a job around his or her unique skills and passions.

• There is only one category of employee within the organisation. There are no separate management people.

• Ongoing experiments allowing individuals to set their own compensation, after getting advice from colleagues and supervisors.

• Shared values are goals to which the company aspires in and of themselves, not merely as a means to financial ends.

• People enjoy their work and do not want to leave.

Wayne Powell is a human resources professional of more than 10 years. He may be contacted at crisscounsellor@yahoo.com

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