The high cost of 'Just Work'

This week I share with you a thought on the sky-high cost of 'just work'.

The phrase "It's just work" by an employee is scary for any leader or business owner. It means people don't care, they're not productive, and they might quit any time soon. Their heart is not in it (anymore?).

If your team sees their job as just a way to get money *only*, they'll leave if they find something better or if things get hard. Remuneration alone does not motivate good work.

I saw this mindset in a workshop with part-time MBAs I was leading. One person didn't think engagement was that important at work. He said people get paid to do their job, that's it. When I asked why he left his last job recently, he said, "Well, it was just work."

It clicked in me then. When people say "just work," it means they don't feel connected to their company or their team. That makes it easy to quit, which costs companies a LOT (roughly 2x annual salary to rehire, as a starting frame of reference). It also means people typically are just 20% as productive as they could and rarely grow and get into any kind of 'flow'.

The better way? Make work a place where people feel valued and heard. When we connect with our team, work becomes more than 'just work'. It gives a sense of belonging.

My recommendation? When you hear "just work", take it as a dangerous red flag 🔻and act on it quickly.

If people ARE checked out, they likely WILL check out soon!

Agree? Disagree? Hit reply! I am curious!