Over a lifetime most of us spend about 90 000 hours at work. The question is: Do these hours add to your overall sense of purpose and happiness, or detract from it?

For many people work is just a job, a way to earn money. But work could be so much more – a potential launch pad for development and the exploration of real meaning in life.

Helping employees find meaning in their work leads to greater fulfillment, happiness and a better quality of life. It also directly benefits the organisation for which they work. Research has shown that organisations with highly engaged employees outperform those with less engaged employees by 47% across all key business metrics .

The Power of Inclusion, a book by Michael Hyter and Judith Turnock challenges the underlying belief that only some employees have the potential to be highly productive contributors. The book demonstrates that people who are more engaged and who succeed are not simply blessed with innate ability, but often acquire their ‘talent’ because of the development attention they have received.

How many other employees would have improved their performance if they had benefited from the same development process? Through an inclusive approach to development that provides all employees with the opportunities usually reserved for a select few, organisations could potentially maximize potential and productivity.

Employees who are passionate about their jobs will exceed expectations and break the boundaries of their job descriptions. They will have more energy and enthusiasm and put their hearts into their work, and not merely their time.

“Employee engagement is a two-person game. While leadership is the key driver of employee engagement, much can be done from a development perspective to enhance the capacity for engagement within employees,” says Alinda Nortje, Founder and Executive Chairperson of Free To Grow.

“Our new WorkQ ® programme goes beyond IQ and EQ to grow employee’s understanding of the needs of the organisation. It helps them discover the importance of their contribution to sustaining and growing the business. This results in an eagerness to contribute their best efforts – something that many businesses find is sorely lacking.”

While researching the novel trademark of WorkQ, Riegert Nortje, Managing Director of Free To Grow found that the abbreviation WQ is an Arabic root meaning: to be able, be capable, sustain, support and is linked to the Arabic words for ‘window’ and ‘arch’. This couldn’t be more appropriate as WorkQ™ opens a new window on employees’ perceptions of the organisation and their roles. It sheds light on both the personal and work journeys of employees and enhances:

1. Confidence: Helps employees believe in their own value, become aware of their potential, maximise their strengths and be more able to handle challenges that come their way.
2. Commitment: Helps employees understand the ‘bigger picture’ of their organisation – its mission, vision, values and strategies – and link this to the employees’ personal purpose and passion so that they experience their work as more meaningful.
3. Contribution: Deepens awareness of how they can contribute to the success of their team, department and organisation, increasing pride in their work and growing initiative and willingness to go the extra mile.
4. Connection: Develops understanding for the need to work constructively with others to produce results and enhances respect, trust and open communication in the team.

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