Helping Employees Realize Their Dreams

The social unrest witnessed around the world during 2011 expresses the frustration of many people whose dreams have been shattered. A dream is a possibility that a person imagines for his or her work or non-work life, which ideally should generate excitement, but for many represents an ever more distant reality. Rather than eroding people?s dreams any further through more short-term cutbacks, a better strategy would be to help individuals reclaim their lost dreams and take steps to fulfill them. As the authors? research shows, companies that help employees pursue their dreams and find meaning in their personal and professional lives end up with a far more engaged and productive workforce, and tend to be more successful at holding on to their most talented employees and managers, generating innovation and growth in the process. For companies operating across borders, special attention must be paid to culture-specific dreams and aspirations, in order to inspire a global workforce anew.