I was reading an article on how important it was that employees were made to feel they belong. Whilst I agree it is a problem if people feel they don’t fit in or belong in a team or organisation I did wonder whether such articles were encouraging unrealistic expectations.
We are talking about where you work, it’s not realistic to expect you will like everyone, there may well be things you are asked to do as part of your job that you don’t enjoy, you may feel that some of the statements made by senior managers are hypocritical, you may feel the organisation doesn’t live up to the rhetoric in its job adverts or that there is a marked difference between the image it promotes about its concern for the environment and the day to day reality. You may feel the commitment to the local community is shallow and under budget pressure soon evaporates but then you would find this in most large organisations.
Is it fair to encourage young people to think that they can or should reject all such places and seek the ideal place. Life is about compromises and making inperfect situations work, it’s about holding on to your beliefs and values in situations that challenges them. Yes you want a rewarding job in a place where you feel valued but that may not be in the perfect organisation.
Blair Mcpherson former director author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk
