<photo: south ascent to summit of mount elbrus>
many work-related surveys often ask employees if they think they will perform better if they feel more valued, focused and purposeful. not surprisingly, the answer is almost always “Yes.”
but employees continue to be disengaged from work. in a 2013 report by Gallup, only 30 percent of employees in America feel engaged at work. around the world, across 142 countries, the proportion of employees who feel engaged at work is just 13 percent.
recruitment firm Randstad's survey of 5,670 Singapore workers in 2014 found that nearly half do not like their jobs, while three-quarters see their job as nothing more than a way to put food on the table.
the 2014 National Workplace Happiness Survey found that the Overall Workplace Happiness Index in Singapore was 59, which falls into the “Under Happy” band (51-67). the other bands are “Unhappy” (0-50) and “Happy” (68-100).
perhaps we can learn about work happiness and purpose from mountaineers. when asked why they climb, many mountaineers would simply say "because it's there". why do you work? #bcc
“There were many, many fine reasons not to go, but attempting to climb Everest is an intrinsically irrational act - a triumph of desire over sensibility. Any person who would seriously consider it is almost by definition beyond the sway of reasoned argument.” Jon Krakauer, author of Into Thin Air.