Bozen – The times are changing and the winds of discontent are blowing strong. Just as November looms and the weather takes a turn for the worse there is concern that we are about to face yet another winter of discontent. Governments stumble, diseases spread, and terrorists run amok. What place do vague notions of ‘happiness’ have in a scenario of doom and gloom one might ask? And yet … ! And yet there is a growing movement to take wellbeing and personal satisfaction and even a sense of altruism in to the economic field as a metre of performance.
In certain academic and human development circles, the stock in happiness has been rising. So much, in fact, that in the last two years, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network run by UN Millennium Development goals guru and Columbia University economist Jeremy Sachs has published the “World Happiness Report,” researchers’ attempts to measure happiness in 150 countries around the world. And then to add to the discourse there is the rise of the “Economy for the Common Good”, a social movement advocating an alternative economic model. It calls for working towards the common good and cooperation instead of profit-orientation and competition, these often leading to greed and uncontrolled growth. Christian Felber coined the term in his book Die Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie – Das Wirtschaftsmodell der Zukunft, published in 2010. According to Felber, it makes much more sense for companies to create a so-called „common good balance sheet“ than a financial balance sheet. The common good balance sheet shows the extent to which a company abides by values like human dignity, solidarity and economic sustainability.
One might react to the contents of the preceding paragraph as an affront to common business sense, the breakdown of open competition, and an inadequate response to the problems which are facing the economies in many countries throughout the world. Furthermore when families as units and persons as individuals are struggling to make ends meet the cry can easily go up that happiness can come later and what matters here and now is survival in the most rudimentary sense. Yes, there is the danger that the notion being put forward can be viewed as some shambolic invention by groups of mad professors having very little to do with the realities of everyday life. And yet …?
The argument for the common good goes something along the lines that in an era where world leaders such as Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama urge all to consider a more humble and self-deprecating way of life and behaviour, is there not space in the world of work for similar comportment? After all the workplace is where we all spend a high percentage of our lives so it should not all be about productivity and gain. Just as a balance sheet can be prepared for incoming and outgoing so a balance sheet can be prepared in technical terms which monitors and determines the common good in a company context. A little research will throw further light on the matter but suffice it here to say that factors such as employee satisfaction and involvement in the setting of company procedures, as well as the often divisive issue of establishing limited pay ranges between the top managers and the lowest paid workers are relevant issues.
It is easy to conjure up images of times gone by and perhaps times still with us when the dogmatic and pugnacious attitude of managers and owners does little to embrace any sense of involvement of the work-force in establishing and taking forward company objectives. Nowadays with the advent of quality insurance, (the oft quoted ISO system which of course stemmed from the more technical and manufacturing industries but now applies to all service industries too), and additional elements of environmental and social responsibility, the time is ripe to widen horizons and redefine the working environment itself and the fixing of strategic objectives. Not as stupid as it sounds perhaps for a contented employee and strong work team are likely to be more productive and thrive in time!
The considerations introduced in this article are not works of fantasy and illusion but the result of actions which are being taken forward in many companies, both at a multinational and small medium size enterprise level. A concrete example comes from the world of hotels where the relationship between staff and management is essential in maintaining the high degree of customer service on a daily and indeed hourly basis. However in a hotel it is not only the smiling face of staff which contributes to the effective running of an organisation but there are various aspects of hotel life and business which offer opportunities for elaboration of common good parameters. The supply chain, the reduction of environmental impact, the workplace environment, the just distribution of labour, the promotion and internal career development opportunities are just some of the elements which can be part of a balance sheet. Taking a lead from this example it is not an impossible task to evaluate one’s own business and draw up pointers which would be a rational part of any balance sheet.
In conclusion there is much and there is also little to say. What is irrefutable is that working environments are likely to change rapidly in years to come. The introduction of technological devices and communication aids in recent years has already seriously influenced our way of working and it is likely that in the short term future the performance of a company will be inspected not only in profit and loss terms but the extra factor of common good will come to the fore. And to finish where the article started it is maybe true that acts of generosity and concern and due consideration for persons, places and shared objectives are the most essential gifts of all.
