Organizations Benefit When People Love Their Workplace

Guest Post By: Zainab Cutlerywala, HR Manager, Hats-Off Digital Private Limited.

Your workplace becomes your second home as you spend more than half of your day at work. Your colleagues as well become like your family members. There is a saying, people will forget what you have done, but they will never forget how you have made them feel. Great workplaces should not only stay in your resumes but also in your hearts forever. The icing on the cake is when your boss tells you that you are always welcome to join the company back and they would welcome you with open arms.

Being emotionally attached to a company however, is considered a sign of weakness to some individuals. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam once said, “Love your job, but not your company, as you never know when your company will stop loving you”. This would be a more rational approach towards your workplace. Emotional attachment is considered unhealthy as:

• • • It goes without saying that nobody is irreplaceable in a corporate scenario.

• • • It is easier to manipulate a worker who is emotionally invested in the job than someone who is not. Manipulations could range from stalling promotions, making promises or offers for raises that are never fulfilled etc.

• • • When you are too attached to your job it’s difficult to deal with criticisms, whether constructive or destructive

• • • Getting a worker emotionally attached to the work environment is a sure fire way to make him work for lesser money.

• • • In the event of downsizing for any reason it’s going to be very hard for an employee as well as an employer who is too attached to his job emotionally.

• • • When you are too attached to the work, you find ways to rationalize whatever negativities there are at work, even when it hampers your personal growth.

• • • Work is a never ending procedure. Too much of emotional attachment to work could affect work life balance.

But have you ever thought of the positives that are involved in being emotionally attached to a workplace? Here are some advantages listed below for the same:

• • • The major factors which can influence a person to continue with the same organization can be due to many factors like Working atmosphere, Friendliness, Culture, Learning, Sense of belongingness, Pride, Importance, Lenience and some sort of comfort so called comfort zone.

• • • Some new research about workplace behavior caught my attention recently. It highlights the important link between an organization’s management culture and the psychological experience of working within it. That’s a link that needs to be examined, but often isn’t; and this study illustrates that gap. It is found that people who report feeling emotionally engaged and connected with their work and their organizations also experience greater psychological well-being.

• • • If we really analyze the reason, a person who continued with the same organization for more than 10+ Years, it could be mainly based on Growth, Monetary aspects and Promotions etc., which he gained in the organization. Such kind of people can be counted in numbers as exceptional cases. When the organization has shown such consideration, then we should also reciprocate to the Organization by giving our best efforts.

• • • You need something to give you that zest to wake up every morning and look forward to come to office. If it isn’t the dedication and love for your organization, what else can it be. You will be surprised that this state of mind also helps you complete the rest of the work hours which need to be spent away from home, and going back home with a content and satisfied mind as well at the end of the day.

• • • Efforts to increase affective organizational commitment (AOC) may lead to a happier, healthier workforce – and possibly contribute to reducing employee turnover.

• • • Emotional attachment is the top of the consideration pyramid that drives other behaviors to happen. If you keep your employees happy, your clients will be happy too and your work delivery will have a good turnout which will reflect in the annual numbers when growth is measured.

• • • Emotional connection in the workplace is important for productivity. When companies create an environment where workers feel safe to risk talking about new ideas, and safe to try new things, they will be more adaptive and ultimately more successful. If workers feel safe, secure, valued, seen, heard and belonging, they will be more productive members of the team.

At our organization, whenever anyone steps in for an interview, they usually get very positive vibes since the time they enter and they know they want to join this place. We have a fun loving, positive and friendly environment at work, and whenever any employee has moved on from our organization, they have stepped out with tears in their eyes and leaving their colleagues teary eyed as well. We have also had our ex-employees come back to our organization whom we have welcomed back with open arms. We have been able to retain good talent in our organization in this manner. So to me, emotional attachment of the employee with an organization is definitely a sign that your organization is indeed an amazing place to work.