Instilling a sense of ownership in employees

The most important step in promoting a sense of agency in the workplace is cultivating an ethos of ownership within the company

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a macro-level attitude shift in employees’ view of work, which led to a record number of people leaving their jobs in 2021. This was especially prevalent among the younger generations. 54% of Gen Zers considered leaving their current employers last year and made their decision within a year of their joining.

For corporates, addressing this shift is certainly important, not only for the purpose of talent retention, but also to understand the factors driving productivity and excellence at work.

I tend to think what motivates people in their career has been more or less constant throughout history. Psychologist Abraham Maslow came up with his theory, the ‘Hierarchy of Needs,’ as early as the 1940s, purporting that our actions are motivated by needs that progress from more basic physiological and safety needs to more complex psychological needs.

What we see among talent today is a greater focus on higher-level needs such as a sense of belonging to their organisation, respect from their colleagues, and a desire to self-actualise, as Maslow calls it.