Work is Worship
We are used to the idiom ‘Work is Worship’. But unless one is a very fervidly religious kind of person, even the imagery of worship may not really enthuse. Yes, Worship is a good example to instil a sense of duty/ discipline. It also held true for centuries and maybe continued till a few decades ago. The old age economies till some time back, by their very nature, offered little scope for variation/ innovation. For the vast majority, an idiom like Work is Worship was needed to numb their ‘doubting intellect’ and get them to work. Just as one did not question God or the various rituals the Clergy-led Establishment followed in God’s name, one could not question Work however soul-sapping its mundanity could be.
Of course, there would always be a small percentage of creative and innovative individuals who had/ have made progress possible, technologically or process-wise. They rise above their circumstances/ situation etc due to their internal drive and with a little luck, perhaps.
Creativity, the Differentiator in the Work place
There is an urgent need to look beyond Work as Worship or duty (barring certain necessary/ critical functions like medical/ social services). There is also increasing realisation about the importance of Creativity in the work place…… and the need to infuse more of it. Creativity whenever possible, wherever possible, however possible, by whomsoever possible.
The more evolved/ innovative enterprises are continuously working on mechanisms to facilitate the above. Even broad-minded Hospitals/ Healthcare organisations increasingly embrace new concepts in typically age-old services/ practices.
Work As Art – the New Paradigm
Imagine a Corporate Culture where Work (of any kind) is seen as Art. Imagine the way any worker/ employee/ manager/ consultant/ CXO is expected to work. Besides other human/ humane attributes, imagine, these contributors being encouraged to look at his/ her work contributions as (a form of) Art. Imagine the decision makers creating the Ambience necessary to reinforce this belief. Imagine each element of the Work force vying with the other in good spirit to showcase more creativity in the most (seemingly) mundane of tasks or processes. Would not that be Utopia at Work?
Let your Walls Sing. May Your Desk Inspire.
