Regenerative Work 🌱
The antidote to toxic work culture is recreating how we work
There’s a problem with modern agriculture. Current practices are depleting vital soil nutrients and may eventually make it impossible to grow crops. One solution being considered to this impending crisis is something called regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture focuses on conservation and rehabilitation for what’s been or being depleted and creating more resilient soil for the future.
As I learned about this solution, it occurred to me that we face a similar challenge in the workplace. The current way we work creates burnout, overwhelm, anxiety, and lack of purpose. Writer Rachel Hislop recently wrote about these work culture problems and described “how broken our system is,” especially for women:
“…grind culture has failed women in a much more complex way than the buzzy burnout explanation. With the veil pulled back, girl bossery looked like women getting access to the proverbial table only to clean up messes caused by a system that wasn’t built with us at the center.”
To grind literally means to “rub harshly or grate.” It also means to “pulverize or crush.” This is essentially what’s happening when we destroy soil, which destroys the ability to grow new plants. The same is happening in the workplace: unhealthy cultures are destroying the ability to nurture talent and build strong teams.
So what if we adopted the concept of regeneration in the workplace as well?
To regenerate is to re-create, reconstitute, or make over, especially in a better form or condition.
Regenerative work means creating a culture where everyone can thrive. It means caring for all stakeholders and considering their best interests. It requires humility and creativity to rethink how we currently structure work.
It’s possible to be successful AND create a fantastic work environment that enriches the lives of team members. John Mackey characterizes this as companies being purpose maximizers, not just profit maximizers.
As a conscious leader, how can you create regenerative work for your organization? It starts by assessing the current health of your culture and then implementing solutions that allow for all employees to learn, grow, prosper and thrive. We have the opportunity to not only be visionaries who can see a better future for work, but the leaders who actually create more conscious, purposeful, regenerative work.
Work happy. Live happy. BE happy.
Meredith
The way we work and build teams is rapidly changing. Leaders often feel unprepared to navigate the transition. As a conscious leadership coach, consultant and communicator, Meredith helps leaders and their teams create new ways of working and relating so they can prepare for the future by consciously co-creating it.
Contact her to develop your conscious leadership and transform your organization into the workplace of the future.
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