It is a conventional understanding, sometimes expressed explicitly but often simply assumed, that if we are to work for a living, then our efforts yield richer rewards if we have a genuine passion for our career choice. Passion, we are told, is the greatest motivator. It is what compels us to willingly throw ourselves into our work and to perform at our finest with no external stimuli needed.

“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”, is the way the maxim goes. What could be better than to feel such fervor for your career?

It is easy to see how management would be delighted to have workers who are “naturals” at fulfilling functions necessary for the prosperous advancement of a business or organization. Such employees will require few if any performance incentives. They are self-motivated players who embrace being subject matter experts. In their hands, productivity should reign without the problems associated with someone displaying less ardor for their work.

Workers who view their careers as vocations rather than as jobs are a precious resource for any enterprise. Managers who realize this will do what they can to facilitate conditions designed to enhance employee wellbeing and sustain the valuable assets they have. Conversely, managers who see very dedicated employees as a never ending supply of production and who develop an attitude that these workers will always go the extra mile, because to go above and beyond is inherent in them, could very well find they have squandered an advantage.

Even for those for whom their work is their calling, respect and care must be regularly demonstrated by management if this talent is going to remain committed to the organization and to do their best work. The results of a research study on the topic of wellbeing released by Gallup, Inc. in July 2023 reveal pertinent findings that leaders should know if they are serious about holding onto their best and brightest.

To start, Gallup finds that only one in four workers think their employers are concerned about their wellbeing. This is true in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and France. The abysmally low number is historic as well. Except for a brief period at the beginning of the pandemic, when many workers thought management cared about their health and welfare, this only ~25% who feel cared for has been the norm.

It is simply good business for management to genuinely support their best workers. To quote from the authors of the Gallup research, employees who believe management is dedicated to their wellbeing are:

• Three times more likely to be engaged at work
• 69% less likely to actively search for a new job
• 71% less likely to report experiencing a lot of burnout
• Five times more likely to strongly advocate for their company as a place to work
• Five times more likely to strongly agree that they trust the leadership of their organization
• 36% more likely to be thriving in their overall lives

These powerful statistics strongly suggest that structuring a workplace so that all employees, and in particular the most valuable talent, are emotionally and substantively gratified goes well beyond just being a nice thing to do, but actively works toward fulfillment of an organization’s mission.

Wellbeing in general involves not just career, but other social, financial, and health related factors. And of course, it is ultimately up to each individual to shape their lives so they are living optimally. However, given the amount of time and energy careers require, this is an area of life demanding special attention. Wellbeing should be a fundamental organizational issue as well as a personal responsibility.

Even the best employees deserve to know they are truly valued. To operate as if it is totally up to each person to independently feel fulfilled by others while on the job, leaves the workplace vulnerable to low productivity and weak competitiveness.