Why Self-Actualization Is Important at Workplaces?- Article 8 (MBA-Course Module: MN7234ES- People and Organizations: Principles and Practices in Global Contexts
Why Self-Actualization Is Important at Workplaces?
According to Maslow, self actualization happens when he/she maximize your potential, doing the best that you are capable of doing. Some of the self-actualized people that Maslow studied was Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein who have the common characteristics of self-actualized personality (Sze, 2017).
Characteristics of a Self-Actualized Person (Sze, 2017)
l Self-Actualized face the unknown- They are not threatened or afraid of it, they accept it, are comfortable with it and often attracted by it. They do not cling to the familiar.
l They accept themselves together with all their flaws- They accept shortcomings that are immutable, they feel ashamed or regretful about changeable deficits and bad habits.
l They prioritize and enjoy the journey, not just the destination
l They are motivated by growth, not by the satisfaction of needs
l Self-actualized are governed by a purpose
l They are not troubled by small things, instead they focus on the bigger picture
l Self-Actualized people are humble
l Self-actualized people make their own decisions by selecting what they see as good and rejecting what they see as bad.
l Self-actualized person have their own code of ethics that are individualized and autonomous rather being dictated by society.
Self-Actualization at Workplaces happens through its Employees?
At workplaces, employees who are professionally valued and part of an inclusive organization will personally be aligned to the company’s vision and mission. The businesses that invests in helping its employees recognizes the challenges they face in achieving their professional or personal goals will have employees who invest in the company’s ability to achieve its goals (Cooper, 2018). .
Self-Actualization both a goal and a mindset- It starts from the top guided strategically. Management taking an unflinching view of its own actions and attitudes and then committing to generating a healthy culture. They will encourage feedback, internalizing that feedback and sometimes making changes to structures, values, forms of recognition (Cooper, 2018).
Self-Actualization in a Startup Culture- A startup must be self-actualized in order to get to the next stage and it generally happens organically. It consists of small group of people who do everything and focus on getting their customers, proving concepts and demonstrating continual growth. It is futile if the early team does not maintain a sense of shared responsibility, purpose and commitment to the vision and goal (Cooper, 2018).
Self-Actualization in High-Growth Company- These companies are in a unique position having established themselves. Leadership must be proactive in pushing forward changes that will lead to a culture of high-performing employees. As companies grow, managers needs to step back and impart autonomy on their subordinates. This will instill trust in the Management (Cooper, 2018).
Gain Control by Giving It (Empowerment & Autonomy)- Senior Management step back allowing employees to expand their roles and achieve job satisfaction. In growth phase, leadership will focus on strategic thinking and short and medium goals. Managers focus on milestones, resources and training needed to meet those goals. Employees are empowered for growth, education or training for new challenges and recognition at their expense. In the long-term it yields tremendous profit in terms of loyalty, willingness to work hard and desire to the company succeed. Also, leaders must ensure there are no rigid structures in places where it could stifle creativity, innovation and relationship. Effective change management starts with communication from management by providing what is going to happen (Cooper, 2018).
Measure Long-term Company Health in Employee Satisfaction
Health of a company will not show the health of its staff. Employees may work in a culture of abuse and dis-empowerment. For instance, if the company is making money, it stock price will go up and if it is regularly paying dividends outsiders will consider it healthy. But the situation is unsustainable. Top talent would not consider the company as a place of employment and management’s ability to get employee buy-in will diminish. So if top talent is leaving an organization either there is a leadership problem, culture problem or even a self-actualization problem.
Because self-actualized companies start with being self-actualized and highly mindful, the leaders if there are any problems will identify and take proactive measures to find solutions before the company could go to a low point (Cooper, 2018).
Benefits of Self-Actualization at workplaces (Selesnick, 2022)
When leaders of organizations invest time, energy and money for their employees to self-actualize there are benefits such as:
l Stronger employee engagement
l Increased productivity
l Heightened company loyalty
l Lower Turnover
l Employee contribution to company growth through innovative ideas
Approaches to Help Employees towards Self-Actualization ((Selesnick, 2022)
Incorporate Open Communication Strategies Beyond the “Open-Door” Policy- Encourages engagement, trust and puts everyone on the same page.
Fund Meaningful Social Activities- Social activities are workplace perk that increases company culture and builds rapport and trust between coworkers.
Create Positive Feedback Programs- Whether its through one-time opportunities for employee appreciation or long-term coaching initiatives, creating positive feedback programs will benefit your workplace.
Final Thoughts
Organizations have the power to help employees find purpose in their work through thoughtful steps toward self-actualization in the workplace. Leaders should set example from the top and build relationships by investing time, energy and money by showing their being valued as important stakeholders. As a result, employees will be happy and benefit the company’s culture and performance. Best talent will be retained by the company. In the long-term the company will yield better profits and returns for its shareholders.
Note: A final message blog readers- Define your purpose and self-actualize to succeed both in personal and corporate life. That is Self-Actualization. In other words, create your legacy.
In concluding, we as human beings have the innate drive called motivation. Each of us want to be the best in our life including both the corporate and personal life. This is what gives purpose in life. Therefore, my final blog focused on what Self-Actualization is and the characteristics of a successful self-actualized person who is an ideal leader. My proceeding sections elaborated on why self-actualization was necessary for employee satisfaction and retention. Final sections discussed the benefits and what are the ways employees can be made self-actualized.
References:
Bryan, A. (2023) ‘Nurturing Self-Actualization in the Workplace: The Role of Soft Skills’, Linkedin, 24 October. Available at: Nurturing Self-Actualization in the Workplace: The Role of Soft Skills (linkedin.com) (Accessed: 10 December 2023).
Cabral, C. (2021) ‘Ways to Motivate Employees: Self Actualization Works’, Shortform, 09 February. Available at: Ways to Motivate Employees: Self Actualization Works | Shortform Books (Accessed: 10 December 2023).
Earhart, A. (2023) ‘Self-Mastery: The Key to Self-Actualization and Leadership Success’, Linkedin, 10 May. Available at: Self-Mastery: The Key to Self-Actualization and Leadership Success (linkedin.com) (Accessed: 10 December 2023).
Komninos, A. (No Year) ‘Self-Actualization: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’, Interaction Design Foundation, No Date. Available at: Self-Actualization: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs | IxDF (interaction-design.org) (Accessed: 10 December 2023).
Mamas, M. (2015) ‘The Workplace: Self-Actualization’, Linkedin, 01 October. Available at: The Workplace: Self-Actualization (linkedin.com) (Accessed: 10 December 2023).
Pradeepa, S. (2023) ‘16 Characteristics of Self-Actualization: Becoming Your Best’, Believe In Mind, 02 June. Available at: 16 Characteristics of Self-Actualization: Becoming Your Best (believeinmind.com)(Accessed: 10 December 2023).
Selesnick, J. (2022), ‘3 Ways Leaders can Encourage Self-Actualization in the Workplace’, Linkedin, 15 April. Available at: 3 Ways Leaders can Encourage Self-Actualization in the Workplace (linkedin.com) (Accessed: 10 December 2023).
Sze, D. (2015) ‘Maslow: The 12 Characteristics of a Self-Actualized Person’, Huffpost, 21 July. Available at: Maslow: The 12 Characteristics of a Self-Actualized Person | HuffPost Life (Accessed: 13 December 2023).
Interesting topic Jasothan. The question is what sparks your passion and makes you feel fulfilled at work? Is it the sense of accomplishment, learning new things, working with a great team, or contributing to a larger purpose? Understanding your intrinsic motivators can help you find tasks and roles that naturally energize you I guess. The flipside is can everyone can get the kind of employment that provides fulfillment?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the complement, sir. My passion is just do my best at work and just keep learning from others from others. Assist others with what they need. In my opinion, financial reward is a very important need for employees but not a motivator to succeed at work. There are other intrinsic motivators.
DeleteNo I do not think everyone can get the kind of work they want. For instance, I suppose we all like to work at organizations where they value us, for instance, LSEG, CBL, and Capital Maharaja. But if you want to become a self-actualized person in your corporate ladder, you need to face challenges. Refer my section characteristics of a self-actualized person. One of the blogs that I talked about is corporate politics. I discussed that there is no such thing as good or bad politics. Corporate politics us all about networking and building relationships as discussed in blog. However, it is individuals like us who create an environment of something called bad politics which a toxic environment. Why am I saying this? Because whether we like or not we have to face these situations as this is what makes a self-actualized person. Do we all live in an ideal corporate world? No. Hope I have answered your question.
Josatha this is a good article. However, don’t you think if employees are too focused on personal growth and development, it may take away from their focus on work tasks and responsibilities, ultimately decreasing organization productivity?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliments. However, if you read my blog, it focused on a reciprocal hand. The organization and its leaders within it needs to focus on environment where they create a self-actualized ambience. They, the leaders first stage as examples within their organization for self-actualization. When they set the example, that creates a culture of self-actualization and employees follow. Then employees will focus on being with the organization for the long-term because they are mindful and understand that organizations are valuing them because it is investing in them.
DeleteYes, you are right. There are employees who focus on personal growth. Even if it is personal growth, the organization needs to align their employees with the organization's goals. Otherwise, the employees are not culturally fit with the organization.
Refer my blog section Self-Actualization happens through employees at workplaces and its subsections for what it entails.
Yes agree with you Jasothan ,The individuals want to feel as though they are performing to the best of their abilities in their roles because this gives them the drive to advance in their careers and achieve success. A self-actualized worker fosters growth and engagement because they feel trusted and empowered. (https://www.indeed.com/, 2022)
ReplyDeleteGood article, self actualization is the utmost needs as per maslow's hierarchy. "when business apply the hierarchy of needs model under conditions such as trustworthiness, responsibility, and accountability, the undamaged human being naturally strives to become self actualized"(Maslow 1965). Motivation, employee engagement, recognition and guides from leaders will realise self actualization.
ReplyDeleteAgreed with your points, HR departments may use self-actualization as a potent tool to inspire and involve staff members. HR departments may contribute to the establishment of a productive workplace that encourages growth and development by giving workers the chance to further their careers and follow their hobbies. take Google's "20% time" policy, for instance, which permits staff members to dedicate 20% of their workweek to personal projects. Numerous popular products, such as Gmail and Google News, have been developed as a result of this philosophy. Another illustration is Zappos, which empowers staff members to follow their passions and provides a "self-management" model that enables them to take charge of their own professional growth(Davis,n'd) (https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/self-actualization.html).
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ReplyDeleteYes Jasothan, Self-actualization at work boosts individual growth, job satisfaction, and creativity, creating a motivated and innovative workforce.
Overview of self-actualization, both at an individual level and within the context of workplaces. Included the Maslow's theory and the characteristics of self-actualized individuals adds depth to your exploration.
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic, Thank you for sharing the knowledge.
ReplyDeleteYour blog effectively communicates the importance of self-actualization in the workplace and provides actionable insights for both employees and leaders. Adding visuals and real-life examples could enhance the overall impact of the content.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. The post effectively communicates self-actualization and its' effects. Self-actualized employees are the perfect players in an autonomous working environment and one that most companies in today's corporate world should drive towards.
ReplyDeleteUsing Maslow's theory and practical examples, this article does a good job of looking at how important self-actualization is in the workplace. The focus on how leadership can help create a self-actualized society and the benefits that come with it is clearly stated. It gives the discussion a greater depth when specific plans for different stages of an organization are included.
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