The next GREAT thing - The Great Compromise

From 1894 to 2022, here we are again, Labor Day. More than a Monday off. This holiday was born out of workers standing up for their rights and what they will and will not tolerate in their work environments. Ironic that we find this day off amongst the latest trend of "Quiet Quitting," recently highlighted in my article, "The "Great" Battle." But just a short time before it was the "Great Resignation," all born out of a pandemic that pushed workers to do more for less.

It is ironic that just in time for Labor Day, 128 years after the day was designated as a holiday, we are still fighting for our right to create boundaries at work. Another irony in a recent article is that 70% of our newest generation entering the post-pandemic workforce is pro-union. As quoted by Business Insider:

"Young people are looking for opportunities for collective power"

As the old saying goes, "If you can't beat them, join them," which, as described by Collins Dictionary, means, "If someone is too strong for you to defeat, it is better to be on the same side as them." The compromise is real and timely.

Here is hoping that this era can conclude in one final headline, "The Great Compromise," the generation that invited a place where workers and employers can agree on what works for both of them. Employers have the power to make the difference without the insertion of a Union Organizer doing it for them. Find the middle ground where the business and employee win in productivity and balance.

• Remote and flexible work environments. Allow people to live where they want, work when it works for them, and produce a better quality of work.
• Allow people to do what they do best. When you put someone in their lane, they fly! Stop asking, "What is your weakness?" and focus on their strengths.
• Create diverse teams that compliment the whole team. Focus on the strengths of each individual to better identify the missing qualities on the team. A fully optimized team is not a sea of sameness.

Welcome to 2022, where we name every period, and even the worst headlines start with "Great." Let's change the next headline, "Employers and Employees Unite," and create a workforce that people are lining up to join instead of running from. We already know where the lines in the sand are drawn; bring in a new tide, and let's start anew.

Happy Labor Day - Lori Kiel