Comments on: Arbeit macht frei: Work engagement? http://www.davidzinger.com/arbeit-macht-frei-work-engagement-5718/ The best in employee engagement... Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:03:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Zinger http://www.davidzinger.com/arbeit-macht-frei-work-engagement-5718/comment-page-1/#comment-3456 David Zinger Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:15:27 +0000 http://www.davidzinger.com/?p=5718#comment-3456 Victoria: Work = Prison in sense of freedom. Not good, not good at all. As you said, "so central" and yet we are not centered and loose and enjoying. David Victoria:

Work = Prison in sense of freedom. Not good, not good at all. As you said, “so central” and yet we are not centered and loose and enjoying.

David

]]> By: Victoria Stapf http://www.davidzinger.com/arbeit-macht-frei-work-engagement-5718/comment-page-1/#comment-3455 Victoria Stapf Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:36:29 +0000 http://www.davidzinger.com/?p=5718#comment-3455 It is interesting to think about the relationship between the concept of work, freedom and employee engagement. I heard about a study where they surveyed people in prison and people in the work place asking them whether they felt free, and the answers from the two groups were strangely similar. We do have a strange relationship with the workplace here in America where our professions and careers are such a central part of personal identities, and yet we see them as severely limiting our freedom. It is interesting to think about the relationship between the concept of work, freedom and employee engagement. I heard about a study where they surveyed people in prison and people in the work place asking them whether they felt free, and the answers from the two groups were strangely similar. We do have a strange relationship with the workplace here in America where our professions and careers are such a central part of personal identities, and yet we see them as severely limiting our freedom.

]]> By: David Zinger http://www.davidzinger.com/arbeit-macht-frei-work-engagement-5718/comment-page-1/#comment-3453 David Zinger Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:42:16 +0000 http://www.davidzinger.com/?p=5718#comment-3453 Sam: What do you make of that side note? I am not sure how to interpret it. David Sam:

What do you make of that side note? I am not sure how to interpret it.

David

]]> By: Sam Deeks http://www.davidzinger.com/arbeit-macht-frei-work-engagement-5718/comment-page-1/#comment-3452 Sam Deeks Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:46:12 +0000 http://www.davidzinger.com/?p=5718#comment-3452 I've been in so many sessions with clients where it's clear that their interpretation of 'Employee Engagement" is 'I don't care what you do, just make them more productive". That kind of thinking takes a while to change and then only if you can develop challenging relationships at the highest level. As a side note, it was interesting to see that in a recent review of the '12 top factors' that constitute 'Engaged Employees', finding a sense of purpose &/or meaning in my work wasn't one of them, or, for that matter, anything to do with an individual's self-esteem. I’ve been in so many sessions with clients where it’s clear that their interpretation of ‘Employee Engagement” is ‘I don’t care what you do, just make them more productive”. That kind of thinking takes a while to change and then only if you can develop challenging relationships at the highest level.

As a side note, it was interesting to see that in a recent review of the ’12 top factors’ that constitute ‘Engaged Employees’, finding a sense of purpose &/or meaning in my work wasn’t one of them, or, for that matter, anything to do with an individual’s self-esteem.

]]> By: David Zinger http://www.davidzinger.com/arbeit-macht-frei-work-engagement-5718/comment-page-1/#comment-3451 David Zinger Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:20:38 +0000 http://www.davidzinger.com/?p=5718#comment-3451 Sam: I am glad the sign was recovered. I appreciate your phrase "the perversions of language." On a much less significant scale it is when organizations refer to employee engagement as something noble when in that specific organization it just means sucking out as much discretionary effort as possible. David Sam:

I am glad the sign was recovered. I appreciate your phrase “the perversions of language.” On a much less significant scale it is when organizations refer to employee engagement as something noble when in that specific organization it just means sucking out as much discretionary effort as possible.

David

]]> By: Sam Deeks http://www.davidzinger.com/arbeit-macht-frei-work-engagement-5718/comment-page-1/#comment-3450 Sam Deeks Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:00:06 +0000 http://www.davidzinger.com/?p=5718#comment-3450 The real inscription might have read 'Work keeps you alive....for a while" The physical capacity to work as assessed on arrival at the camps (and at subsequent selections) often meant the difference between a trip to the gas chambers and remaining alive for many. Pleased to hear that the sign has been recovered this morning. I hope it reminds us that perversions of language and meaning like this aren't just historical or the preseve of the Nazis; they're all around us today in service of politicians, corporations and individuals. Do we know them when we see them? The real inscription might have read ‘Work keeps you alive….for a while”

The physical capacity to work as assessed on arrival at the camps (and at subsequent selections) often meant the difference between a trip to the gas chambers and remaining alive for many.

Pleased to hear that the sign has been recovered this morning. I hope it reminds us that perversions of language and meaning like this aren’t just historical or the preseve of the Nazis; they’re all around us today in service of politicians, corporations and individuals. Do we know them when we see them?

]]>