CARE IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT (II)

 



Original article published in catalan on 07/16/2023


Months ago, I began writing this reflection, which I titled "A Look at Respect for Workers." Today, months later, I believe that the idea I aimed to shape is also part of what we can understand as "caring for workers in organizations," specifically in those based on participatory organizational models.

I started the reflection by asking myself: What should be the involvement of individuals in organizational models that promote participation, collective building, models that seek the empowerment and active participation of workers? Should workers always be actively involved? Eager to participate, eager to build? And what happens if that is not the case?

To answer this, I start from the premise that we must understand people from a place of respect. Usually, when we talk about respect, we associate it with understanding, comprehending how the other person is, accepting the diversity of people, interests, customs, tastes... We associate it with how we relate to others: what we say, how we say it, the non-verbal language we use... and it also involves a positive recognition of the other’s intersubjectivity.

Today, however, I propose understanding respect for people and teams from a slightly different perspective:

This perspective is respect for the moment that people are experiencing, and this moment can be both a life moment and a professional moment. As years go by and we accumulate experiences, we realize that each of us, and the people in our surroundings, are going through different moments, and therefore what we should expect from workers in organizations should also recognize and respect the different moments they are experiencing.

These moments can have very variable durations: they might be specific days, weeks, months, or even years. And this variability in the moment we are living can be due to many reasons, both internal and external to ourselves.

Being aware that we all go through different moments throughout life, recognizing them, supporting them, and respecting them should also be part of the perspective that organizations wishing to place care for workers at a relevant level should keep in mind.

Thus, in response to the question of whether workers should always be actively involved in participatory organizational models, I would say that we should recognize that participation, involvement, and active attitude can vary throughout a professional life. Organizations should integrate and be aware of this with consciousness, understanding, and respect; in summary, taking care of workers.

With this reflection, I aim to complement what I published a year ago right here, “Care in the Organizational Context.”


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