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Inner Work Life

September 4, 2011

‘The Progress Principle’ is a new book about what motivates people at work. The authors – Teresa Amabile, Ph.D., and Steven Kramer, Ph.D. – surveyed hundreds of managers in depth around the world. The research revealed some consistent patterns for what motivates or demotivates employees. The authors have coined the term ‘inner work life’ to encapsulate this “rich, multifaceted phenomenon”. Their research reveals this “inner work life has a profound impact on workers’ creativity, productivity, commitment and collegiality.” Indeed, employees “perform better when they are happily engaged in what they do.” As well, they “are far more likely to have new ideas on days when they feel happier”.

The authors also examine why business “culture often frowns on people openly expressing their feelings at work”. They caution, “organizations ignore inner work life at their peril.” Their research shows, “poor inner work life resulting from stress leads to increases in physical illness and absenteeism”. The authors also refute conventional wisdom that pressure enhances performance. Employee disengagement is costing $300B in lost productivity annually in the United States according to the Gallup organization.

The inner work life is nourished through “interpersonal support, such as encouragement, showing respect, and fostering collegiality.” This “matters deeply to employees … Working adults spend more of their waking hours at work than anywhere else. Work should ennoble, not kill, the human spirit. Promoting workers’ well being isn’t just ethical; it makes economic sense.”