A Bag of Rocks

A couple of years back I was talking to a human resources manager of a large technology company about trends in the workplace. His message was a clear one and it has stuck with me in my personal management style and teachings. Simply, everyone comes to work carrying a bag of rocks. And a good manager will not only acknowledge the employee’s burden but try to offer some level of relief.

Just what is in that imaginary bag? Life. It could be money troubles, a fight with a significant other, sick children, sick parents, a sore throat, or any of the pressures we all endure on a daily basis.

The philosophy of this HR manager, and company’s leadership in general, was to understand that employees don’t leave their bag of rocks in the car when they come to work, but they carry them throughout the day, everyday. His company offered many levels of employee assistance (EAP) programs to help employees. More than that, they understood that not every employee operates at 100% efficiency every day and were sympathetic and compassionate to employee pressures. In fact, the company had won awards as a wonderful place to work.

Think about your own bag of rocks. Now just imagine what is in the bag that you boss or colleagues carry. Or the folks who work for your suppliers. A little empathy goes a long way.

Here’s hoping that your own bag of rocks is quite light today.