The loss of meaning at work is very worrying both for the employees who experience it and for the companies that employ them.
I will begin my talk with a story. Once upon a time, in the 12th century, at Notre Dame de Paris, 3 stonecutters. Someone asked them each the same question:
Sir, what are you doing?. The 1st man replied: "You see, I am cutting my stone". The 2nd man says: "I work to feed my family and to educate my children". The 3rd, eyes lit up, a broad smile exclaimed: “I am building a cathedral”.
The lesson of this story is that he who has a why that serves as his end can live without worrying about the how.
In today's society, the loss of meaning from the point of view of employees is linked to an overload of work, to mergers which have repercussions on the organization, which can induce rationalization and increase efficiency and performance but lead to more stress.
Social plans "meaningless" for those who undergo them, changing professions sometimes give the feeling of a lack of coherence. The reality only seems more painful and makes it difficult for employees to remain creative. We are with our suffering and we undergo the events.
This context necessarily implies a redefinition of the criteria to allow re-engagement in the profession.
When there is a loss of meaning, a few (sometimes dysfunctional) solutions are used:
- Skills assessment
- Mid-career interview
- Establishment of project groups to redefine values, professions
- Company communication campaign to explain its vision, its transformation plan........
But there are situations where these devices that aim to stimulate reflective activity do not always seem effective.
There we will see how to deal with the limits of the activity of reflection on the construction of meaning.
General
What can we say about meaning in general: that if we maintain autonomy and integrity, if we feel good with ourselves and with others, in the world, these elements form a whole and will carry meaning.
In a changing universe where changes are incessant, it is more necessary than ever to give coherence to what we live.
We can live painful situations, suffer them but we can nevertheless always do something with what we undergo, remain an actor. In a difficult environment, accepting one's suffering is the greatest courage.
Meaning is also being able to transform the suffering suffered, to look at it and give it a place to recognize and transform it.
We generally think of meaning from the point of view of social utility, but we forget that it is not only a question of utility. You can become unemployed, change jobs and transform your suffering into dignity. (Victor Frankl)
Avoid psycho-traps
Psycho-traps are attempted solutions that at some point direct us to nonsense; it will therefore be necessary to re-direct and become an actor again by avoiding:
The factory of disappointment: it is the fact of attributing our own perceptions to others, which leads to strong disappointments because we do not expect it and creates misunderstandings. It is then necessary to modify certain things, to multiply the points of view by observing the reality and the actions of each other.
The myth of perfect reasoning: it is believing that it is possible by rational reasoning to overcome all the problems of life. In this case, the psychotherapist can use more paradoxical instruments, "the half-hour of the worst". The effects of reasoning become ineffective.
Absolute positive thinking: focusing on positive thinking. Not to be done when you are overwhelmed by emotions such as pain or fear. It is advisable in this case to put oneself in a vigilant optimism, to channel it to make it a lever of force. No need to be stubborn with your eyes turned inward because you are convinced that you have the right tools; on the contrary, it is necessary to identify those who are not going well.
The fact of insisting or giving up or even capitulating: one is wary of one's inability to overcome. But we are defeated only if we surrender. We must not allow ourselves to be defeated but maintain ourselves in an opportunity to improve. Because there is always room for improvement...
If we want to create meaningful contexts in business, employees must be responsible for their actions. Meaning is not given; it emerges from experience. Creativity is then implemented to assume the suffering because the only tools of reflection know their limits.
What LACT does
If it is an individual, we implement strategic support to help him get back into a meaningful action.
And we accompany the teams concerned because the risk is that together, in a group, we only observe the loss of meaning and that we are content to underline "the why we are not well" in renouncing to be creative. In these cases, it is urgent to act on the collective so that attempts at dysfunctional solutions are blocked.
