They see this as an emerging field of “culture engineering,” a multidisciplinary approach to enhancing the environment of the workplace. It seeks to help everyone collaborate to build an intentional and purposeful culture — from senior leaders to rookie employees. We’ve seen top workplaces input and hold meaningful dialog with employees in a way that builds confidence and helps employee feel heard. For example, during annual surveys, businesses use short pulse questions to track progress throughout the year. Others have created confidential networks in which workers can provide input in a safe manner. The modern confluence of disciplines has the ability to greatly strengthen the core relationships that make up our work experience, from the relationships between workers and their jobs, their supervisors, their colleagues, and the company itself. It requires going beyond conventional internal communications strategies, such as city halls, executive videocasts, and group chats that are instant messaging. Instead, it includes setting up communication channels that can be used by workers to communicate, build community, appreciate each other, and provide candid feedback without fear of effect or publicity. We know that technology is a huge debate and in the big picture, from privacy to security issues. Nevertheless, too many of us are slaves to our networks of email and instant messaging. In the microinstant, we’re enjoying a higher quality of life, but in the broader sense, it’s uncertain what we’re doing, certainly in terms of jobs. The amount of time we spend talking and the amount of time we spend working have an effect on productivity, which is not obviously growing.
