Fix the Bloody Work: A Decades Old Truth We Keep Forgetting

I recently came across yet another post lamenting why employees leave their jobs. The authors wrung their hands about inclusion, respect, support, and other HR buzzwords. But as always, they ignored the elephant in the room – the work itself.

This wilful ignorance triggered me. It brings to mind a quote from pioneering organisational psychologist Frederick Herzberg back in the 1960s:

“If you want someone to do a good job, give them a good job to do.”

How much clearer can it get? And yet 50+ years later, we seem no closer to heeding this wisdom.

Let’s take teachers as an example. A recent study found nearly half are considering quitting in the next year. Their #1 complaint? Unmanageable workloads.

But the calls are for more wellbeing programs and counseling. While helpful, these won’t fix the underlying issues.

As Desmond Tutu said, “There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.”

We need to go upstream to the work itself. Fix the badly designed, bureaucratic busywork that prevents teachers from doing what they do best – teach.

This isn’t just about retention. It’s about productivity, engagement, psychological safety, and organisational performance. Not to mention just being ethical and humane.

As managers, our role is to be obsessively user-focused. If the “user” is our employee, then we need to design their work experience for meaning, mastery, and autonomy. Clear the obstacles, remove the dysfunction, and let people thrive.

It’s common sense. But common sense is not common practice, as they say.

The truth is staring us in the face, just as clearly as when Herzberg said it in the 60s. The work itself matters. Purpose, challenge, impact – these are fundamental human needs.

Everything else is window dressing. Fix the bloody work. End of story.

As leaders, when will we start listening? Or better yet, when will we start acting?

Have you also experienced how dysfunction is allowed to grow in organisations over time, making it harder to just do the work that matters? Share your thoughts and frustrations in the comments!”