Friday, August 19, 2011

professionalism

The definitions are changing and right in front of my eyes - a guy who completes 10 yrs in professional life.

  • It started with looking like an executive meaning the entire drill of suit/coat/tie, then went to dressing "smart" and now in my office people wear jeans all the time.
  • It started with having a desktop, then having a laptop, then having a data card and now if there is no need, my team "assumes" that they will be working from home/guest house/hotel/wherever
  • It started with having strict rules of using internet and while porn is still a no-no, everyone realizes that social networking is a force to reckon with
It is time to accept that there are no 2 identities of a person - one that works and one that enjoys a personal life. The boundaries are falling, which means a single identity, that much less complexity and that much less hypocrisy.

Companies that are embracing this change are going ahead full force and why not. While every type of person is accepted, work is paramount and the more it is aligned to your personality, the satisfied you are with your job. Less HR work and obviously less frustrations. Plus company benefits from your individuality.

For an organization there are many challenges - right from HR policies to Systems management. But the simplification starts at leadership. If work becomes paramount and people themselves self select for a job, life becomes that much easier.