Something that’s been on my mind recently is the over-saturation of unnecessary professionalism in the workplace. I realize this may seem like a shocking statement, but allow me to expound upon this notion.
It seems like the two should go together hand-in-hand, right? Business and professionalism have always been linked, and rightly so. Every person deserves respect within the corporate world, regardless of rank or pay. However, there comes a point when professionalism becomes the redundant, and I believe this has the potential to hurt any organization. In this context, what is “professionalism”? I define it as, in short, business formalities. Dress code, syntactical guidelines for corporate email, and any number of human resources mandated policies are all included under this umbrella. This argument comes into play in regards particularly to communication. Want an example of how vague and indifferent communication can actually hurt business? Look no further than the infamous catchphrase of the faceless corporate behemoth, “Please advise”. From my experience in the business world, I’ve seen that the usage of this phrase is a pretty standard phenomenon. However, not only is it grammatically incorrect (‘advise’ is a transitive verb that requires an object), but it comes off as demanding, pretentious, and needlessly vague. Inexplicably, it’s become a staple of corporate emails and inter-office communication.
This is but one example of a corporate universe that is quickly losing its identity. Instead of encouraging individuality, businesses prefer to squelch it with inane guidelines, perhaps in hopes of being “kosher” and fitting in with every other 9 to 5 employer out there. Unfortunately, this does more harm than good. As I’ve seen firsthand, it is the rare business that can scale without losing its unique culture (one notable exception is Google). I look around the current business landscape and see rolling hills of cube farms that serve their utmost master; the ever-venerable employee handbook. There is hope for the future though, and times are changing. The recent startup boom in the technology sector has spawned a rash of companies that are eager to promote their passions through their businesses, remaining unencumbered by unnecessary formality. Want a great example? Check out the blog of 37signals founders Jason Fried and David Hansson. These guys know what it means to do business their way, while still remaining a powerful force in the industry.
The corporate landscape is changing, but that doesn’t mean change will happen overnight. It truly makes me sad when I see companies that are successful, but have no real culture. So many founders create inspiring ideological foundations for their companies, only to have them negated by the gradual invasion of what I like to call “prim and proper syndrome”. Overtly formal and indifferent communication will only lead to the breeding of workers who will carry these same habits over into their personal lives outside of work - and what an awful thing that would be! At the end of the day, I believe that the facts are as follows. Faceless formality is not necessary. Respect is. I think it’s time more companies embrace this philosophy, in hopes of bringing eclecticism back to the workplace.
