Since the 2016 presidential election I’ve been uncharacteristically disengaged from my consulting practice. The rejection of widely-held values consistent with my own sucked energy out of the operation. In the aftermath, it turns out that finding meaning in work is critical for motivation and performance.
In January I wrote about how workplace interaction contributes to “development of rich relationships, meaningful impact, and personal growth that define professional success today.” (Workplace Distraction: The Upside.) This theme continues to resonate. Think about what’s most meaningful in your own career. You may agree that relationships, challenge, and contribution are the real source of value regardless of the type of work you do.
Now, more than ever, we need the workplace to support deeper relationships, help us learn from each other and develop our skills, and highlight contributions to a greater whole. Furthermore, as we only need a brain and a laptop to get work done anywhere, the physical workplace darn well better deliver more than a mere place to perch our tools.
This is where hospitality design can show the way. The best hotels create a feeling of belonging, with lobby spaces that give us permission to connect, or not. They provide creature comforts and functional support as needed. They maintain a public side for connection and a private realm for production and renewal. The best hotels are attractive; they make it worth the trouble to put on pants and show up.
Workplace can learn from that model. Start with the prospect of interaction with actual humans, wrap it with a feeling of inclusion, take care of functional requirements that support learning and individual contribution, sprinkle in a recognition of something larger than our own selves. Add food and beverage.
...sounds like a great hotel, doesn't it?
Posted