The quest for meaning, a question that has gained in importance since the crisis

With the Covid-19 health crisis, the question of meaning at work has taken on new importance. "Before the crisis, a minority of French people (11%) considered that the meaning of their work could be the cause of a certain malaise. Since the start of the pandemic, one in two French people (55%) have been reflecting on the meaning of their work, and even its usefulness"[1] The revaluation of certain professions that were once poorly perceived, such as teachers and care professions, and the distinction between so-called "essential" professions and others, have prompted the French to question their own profession, and created a real questioning process for some.

As a result, the quest for meaning at work has rapidly become a key issue on the minds of the French. This is why it is particularly alarming to read that "Only more than one employee in ten (13%) finds meaning in their job"[2].

There s a lot of talk about telecommuting and new ways of organizing work, all necessary changes for the "next world". But even beyond these organizational changes, it s social utility and the value of work as a whole that we re questioning here.

Quest for meaning, definition

The quest for meaning at work remains a rather vague notion, as it is intrinsically subjective. However, it must be distinguished from quality of working life or employee well-being, as it has even broader characteristics. The quest for meaning at work implies feeling useful within the company, as well as participating in a global project with a positive impact on society in general.

In parallel with this new interest in the quest for meaning, the notion of brown-out has emerged. This notion joins the list of key words for suffering at work, along with the infamous burn-out and bore-out. The former describes the physical and psychological exhaustion created by demands at work that are impossible for the employee to cope with (in terms of quantity of work, pressure to manage or pace). The second describes burnout caused by boredom. In English, brown-out refers to a power cut, a power failure, a "lack of juice". This concept describes an employee who has lost his or her energy, who is at a standstill and unmotivated, because he or she no longer understands his or her work and can no longer find meaning in his or her task. What s more, some consider their work to be counter-productive, or the opposite of what they want or value. These employees are then victims of an intense and painful demotivation[3] This phenomenon illustrates the new importance of the quest for meaning at work.

The company and the quest for meaning, responsibility and interest

More and more employees believe that companies have a significant role to play in the happiness and fulfillment of their teams. "90% of employees consider it essential (55%) or important (35%) that their company "gives meaning to their work", and 85% consider it essential (38%) or important (47%) that it enables them "to feel useful to others", according to a 2020 article in Les Echos.

What s more, it s in the company s interest to do so, because motivated and committed employees perform far better than disengaged or discouraged ones. The loss of meaning at work is the main cause of brown-out, which is particularly damaging for the company, in addition to the human damage. A company that takes care to give meaning to its employees is also working to retain and motivate them.

What s more, it enhances the employer brand and makes it much easier to recruit new talent, especially from the younger generation, who are particularly attentive to these issues; although they are now far from being the only ones concerned.

Work, a shifting value, a historical perspective

The act of working has not always been as highly valued as it is today. Indeed, in ancient times, only slaves performed this activity in the sense of "productive" work, while citizens occupied their time with other activities, not expected to contribute to the production of wealth. The rise of Protestantism in the 16th century marked a real turning point in the meaning given to work, as it became associated with values of achievement and asceticism. Work took on a spiritual dimension. The advent of capitalism in the 19th century, followed by liberalism in the 20th, gave work the central place it occupies today[4].

The "value of work" today and tomorrow

Today, work occupies a central place in the lives of the French. It is synonymous with independence and emancipation, and confers a social status on the worker: "Stable employment is now a key component of our social identity, not least because it has become a prerequisite for remuneration and social protection"[5 ] It provides access to social ties, the only social relations for some. It enables personal fulfillment and inspires respect for others. On a more global scale, it also enables social and economic progress. Work is therefore at the heart of our neoliberal societies. Faced with the rise of individualism, social ties at work have become essential, and are now part of corporate social responsibility. "Work is also the main arena in which we demonstrate our abilities, contribute our usefulness and participate in the construction of new realities", adds sociologist Dominique Méda[6].

This is why, on the one hand, people lock themselves into jobs that no longer make sense to them: to preserve all the perks of work (social status, relationships, respect...) and, on the other, the reason why it s so painful for them to find no interest or usefulness in it.

This value of work was still relevant in the 1970s, when 80%[7] of the working population had permanent contracts. Today, with the emergence of temporary work, uberization and mass unemployment, work takes on far more varied forms. Anthropologist David Graeber s book Bullshit Jobs theorizes the loss of meaning through the multiplication of "bullshit jobs" that are intrinsically devoid of meaning. These "jobs" have grown massively in recent years, notably as a result of the institutionalization of financialized capitalism, and are made up of numerous jobs that bring no social utility to the world. These jobs would therefore be the first to give rise to ill-being such as brown-out and the sensation of a loss of meaning.

For the future, make sure you give meaning to your employees

The health crisis has brought this issue to the attention of many employees, who until now have not been fully aware of it. For many, it is the responsibility of companies to give meaning to their employees. This involves more humane management and more collaborative, flexible working methods. It also means listening to employees to prevent possible boredom, burn-out or brown-out, and working to remedy the situation. Better communication of the company s values, taking each stakeholder into account, corporate social responsibility and ensuring a balance between personal and professional life are all ways of restoring meaning where it has been lost.

Moreover, according to the philosopher Simone Weil, to be free, workers must make their work their own. He or she must make it the center of his or her social and spiritual life, and this would entail fewer hours worked in the strict sense of the term, but more hours spent interacting with colleagues.

Focus: Telecommuting and valuing time in the office to restore meaning

In practical terms, telecommuting and new ways of organizing the office (flex office, shared offices) are measures that can make a big difference. On the one hand, telecommuting enables a better balance between personal and professional life (according to 64% of employees[8]), and on the other, it enhances the value of time spent in the office. It will no longer be a case of employees going to the office by rote, then locking themselves away to work alone all day, only to return home. On the contrary, as time spent in the office becomes rarer, it will have to be given greater value, made more attractive and given more meaning. For example, these will be times for employees to exchange and share ideas, collaborate and co-construct.

Finally, the Covid-19 crisis has been a powerful revelation of latent ills in French society. Many French people have questioned the meaning and usefulness of their work. Unfortunately, too many of them feel they have lost their social usefulness, and are increasingly suffering from this lack of meaning. While this may involve a personal change, such as a career move, for many employees, it is the company s responsibility to support its employees in their quest for meaning. This may involve more in-depth dialogue between stakeholders, a reorganization of working life, a rebalancing between personal and professional life... These are just some of the avenues open to the company, which would undoubtedly benefit from ensuring that its employees find meaning in their work, especially if it wants to secure their loyalty, motivation and commitment .

Sources

Vairet, F. (2020, May 15). For 6 out of 10 young people, the crisis has had an impact on the meaning they give to their work. Les Echos Start.

HR Voice, (May 28, 2020). The French worried about returning to work, and anxious to find meaning in their jobs.

Nagard, G. L. (2020, November 11). Bullshit job, loss of interest. ... employees in search of meaning in their work. Capital.fr.

Périnel, Q. (2017, November 9). Le " sens au travail " ou la quête du graal des salariés français. LE FIGARO.

Fed Finance. (2020, December 17). The quest for meaning at work, a major new issue?

Aurore Le Bihan and Lucie Chartouny (2021). Le guide des paumé.e.s, Editions Marabout

Institut Sapiens, (2020). What future for telecommuting ?

[1] Les Echos, Florent Vairet, May 15, 2020

[2] HR Voice, (May 28 2020). Les Français anxiens de retourner au travail, et soucieux de trouver du sens dansleur emploi

[3]JDN (08/02.21). Brown out, definition, detection and solution

[4] Aurore Le Bihan and Lucie Chartouny, Le guide des paumé.e.s, Editions Marabout, 2021

[5] Aurore LeBihan and Lucie Chartouny, Le guide des paumé.e.s, Editions Marabout, 2021

[6] Guillaume Le Nagard, Capital,11/11/2020

[7] Aurore Le Bihan and Lucie Chartouny, Le guide des paumé.e.s, Editions Marabout, 2021

[8] Institut Sapiens, What future for telecommuting? 2020

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