While watching my favorite news show, 60 Minutes, last Sunday, tears came to my eyes as I witnessed a remarkable story, detailing the importance of work to our fellow humans.
It was a story of a non-profit organization's attempt to help those who have been unemployed for more than two years, build tangible hope in finding a job, and ultimately place them with great success. I won't go into the details of the program, but the primary take-away was the remarkable importance work plays in the general dignity of people. 
The carnage of emotional devastation discussed among the initial meetings held by a new class of the unemployed became even more profound when, as a viewer, you were led on their journey through training, internship, and finally productive work.
The graduates of the program literally cried at the awareness of how “wonderful” it was to hear their alarm clock go off, announcing that it was their time to prepare to go to work.
At the heels of watching this dramatic story, a friend of mine told me of his story of having just visited Madagascar as a part of an organization restoring the mangrove trees along the barren coast of their waterways (to restore the animal life), by employing villagers to replant and protect their growth. As a result of these endeavors, the villagers are now able to buy supplies for fishing, pay off their debts, and make a living.
One villager, who invited my friend into his hut (containing six family members) for dinner, boasted with pride that, because of his newfound “success,” he has “enough rice to last one dry season.” He went on to say that, as a result, he is “truly content.”
There are several lessons here with regard to recruiting, not to mention our general work life, in both of these stories. For one, you should never fail to remember that those you interview might be carrying a great deal of emotional baggage (loss of dignity), if they’re coming to you from the pool of unemployed. Whatever your decision regarding their suitability for your company, be mindful to treat them with respect, and not further demoralize them or treat them with contempt. (Although…I’m sure that there are some among these ranks who don't want to do any work, and want it to just come to them—That’s a separate subject for another blog.)
The other lesson is very clear: We must actively look for ways to challenge those around us to never lose sight of the privilege of work. Not everyone gets to do it. And yet, it is an essential piece of the very fabric from which we are made. God says that we are made in his Image. This is the same God that created and sustains this incredible Universe. It’s no wonder that tears come to our eyes regarding these stories of productivity. The meaning and purpose run incredibly deep.
How often do we become ungrateful for our work? What impact does this tendency have on our company’s culture, or on our company’s reputation, or on our productivity? Is there a way to keep our pulse on our team members' enjoyment and appreciation of work?
Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.
