Roles change constantly. For example, the role of the 1920-1950-1980 and present mother has changed considerably (warning: huge global generalisation coming) in most of the world. The balance of a typical mother juggling family, financial, recreational, relationship, body image, educational, social, technological and a multitude of other factors has altered significantly over the last century. And, the roles of men have changed at the same rate in similar areas.
These types of global changes have an enormous effect on not only the individual but also on their needs from the world. Products, services, education, news, recreation, technology and information all found their place by identifying or creating the demand for what they had to supply. These changing demands is what causes markets to open, develop, retract and reform or disappear entirely.
Recently, the internet and social networking has blurred the lines between industry, news, education and entertainment and allows people never before seen access into the worlds of companies, peers and strangers alike. This peek behind the curtain (at largely filtered and manufactured profiles) uncovered a gap in the life of the user as many others seem to have more, do more and experience more. This has given an increasing rise to the question: Why aren’t I getting similar results from my life?
The current move to self-develop has exploded across the physical, mental and emotional landscapes. News feeds are filled with fitness motivation, clean eating, development courses, travel experience, must do lists, be better guides and an endless supply of positivity. As a consequence, many are now paying differing degrees of attention to the quotes and guides and are looking inwardly and trending towards getting faster, stronger and better in their own respective eyes. People are filling feeds, forums and auditoriums with the latest news from the hottest leaders, speakers and personalities hoping to start or be a part of a global trend. Consumption is through the roof as an increasing number of people spend more of their resources on these areas. But where does this lead?
We are entering into the next major phase of our consumer society. One that is driven by a wide and lightning fast spread of ideas across the globe. As people start to feel that they are mastering their physical and emotional self, they begin to look outward and into their environment, community and world for opportunities to add meaning to their life -as an extension of their personal development and self gratification.
We are beginning to feed our need for meaning by hunting down and consuming personal responsibility for our world. With the ability for information spread, idea development with massive group think and global application, individuals are more empowered than ever and are more likely to feel that one person truly can make a difference. Some of these people push past the feeling of being active and take real steps of action. This group is far from the majority but is a growing force that should be recognised as it has the potential energy to drive future phases of the consumer evolution. It also boasts highly influential and respected leaders from various industries among its ranks.
But what does this mean for business? When we think about business models we generally think of the design for the operation of a business, in terms of customers, products, revenue and the accompanying financial criteria. The basic role of business has been wealth creation for the owners and stakeholders and this remains the case today. However, if we factor in the changing motivations within society, business models need further development in order to satisfy this basic function. A business based on past models with little consideration for societal trends, may soon find itself declining in a marketplace it once held strongly.
An individuals personal journey helps them develop their external needs which includes all aspects of their experience. Their grocery shopping, political dealings and work satisfaction are all influenced by these changing needs. One may argue that it is not the job of the employer to satisfy employee wants outside of financial reward. However, the precedents have already been set.
Once, some form of pay was generally the only service provided by the employer. Soon though, safety, health care, entertainment, family coverage and numerous other benefits came into play to the point that in many countries some of these are now legal rights, not just perks. So, this next step could be seen as a progression of the past and as always, there are benefits to getting in early before it becomes a business standard.
Companies that are providing an improved experience for employees are building an environment for success. An atmosphere where communication, innovation, creativity and teamwork drive motivation and inspire personal action. This results in a better customer experience where products, services and innovations are designed, built and presented with the experience as both the driving force and the end-goal focus.
Keeping this in mind, companies that choose to improve their efforts by providing an atmosphere that supports the personal motivations of the worker can see it as an added step in their business process. By doing this, an organisation can attract and retain the most suitable people coupled with a high motivation and satisfaction level. This provides an organisation with the best chance for continual improvement, flexibility, longevity and of course the basic business requirement; wealth creation.
It is definitely up to the individual to discover their personal needs and create meaning in their life. But it is in the best interest of a business to provide an attractive working space that allow these interests to flourish. By actively working together, both employer and employee can simultaneously satisfy their individual and combined needs to find meaning, develop and create a growth environment in which to successfully operate.
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