I’ve always been a bit wary of the phrase “Human Resources.”

The word “resources” brings to mind items whose value lies in their usefulness to others. Think resources such as oil.

Or wind.

Or lithium.

These “resources” are valuable because they provide a certain service. Without the utility they provide, they would be useless. And they can be discarded once their utility is exhausted.

Human Beings are not “Resources”

Human beings have intrinsic worth. Our value does not lie in our mere value to others or the service we provide. And we certainly should not be discarded after our utility has been exhausted. When we don’t feel as if our worth is respected, we start to look elsewhere for fulfillment and employment.

I doubt many corporations consciously think their “human resources” (i.e., employees) are valuable only insofar as they provide utility. But I can’t help but wonder whether the existence of toxic work environments, job dissatisfaction, and the resulting turnover of talent is partially caused by this entrenched view of humans as “resources.”

If your employees do not think they’re being valued as “human beings” (as opposed to being viewed as “human resources”), your workplace may be somewhat toxic. This, in turn, may lead to the current problems in employee retention.

Fight Employee Flight - Affirm the Human Light

Philosophy has a long history of stressing the dignity of human beings - dignity that exists despite the utility a person may provide.

Do you want to consciously avoid creating a toxic work environment?

Are you interested in enhancing your company culture so that you are able to retain the talent you recruit?

If so, here are 6 simple ideas drawn from the rich history of the philosophy that can transform your workplace into one that employees find fulfilling, meaningful and worth staying for.

1. Enable Employee Autonomy & Creativity

Humans are hard-wired to want to act freely and make our own decisions. Ever tried to help a toddler do something? If so, they probably screamed back “ME DO IT! ME DO IT!”

There is still that toddler inside all of us. We all want to do things ourselves and put our little mark on the world.

I once had a new assistant for a program I directed. The program had lots of forms, and those forms had worked well for years. My new assistant wanted to change them. My first thought “No - why mess with what works?” But then I remembered one of the reasons my previous assistant had moved to a new position was because she had become bored and felt unchallenged. She had lacked the opportunity for creativity.

As a result, I encouraged my new colleague to change the forms in whatever way she saw fit. And she made them even better!

Now, we could have continued on like we had been going for years with the old forms. But that wouldn’t have allowed room for my coworker to exercise her own freedom to leave her own distinctive mark on the program.

It’s been said many times humans evolved as problem-solvers. When we’re not allowed freedom to solve problems in the way we see fit and exercise our own creativity, we fail to live up to our ‘person’-hood, and become resources instead.

Find ways to allow your employees and co-workers some autonomy in how they complete their work. It’s a human need to exercise creativity. If they don’t do it in your company, they will find another one in which they can.

2. Show Appreciation

I know, I know! Of course everybody wants to be appreciated. But you may be asking yourself “Does showing appreciation really matter all that much? Does a word of gratitude make a real difference in the workplace?”

William James, who is considered the father of BOTH American philosophy and American psychology, is famous for saying “the deepest principle of Human Nature is the craving to be appreciated.” Not money, not fame, and not power. Rather, simple appreciation & acknowledgement.

I now perceive one immense omission in my Psychology, - the deepest principle of Human Nature is the craving to be appreciated, and I left it out altogether from the book, because I had never had it gratified till now. - William James

Conventional wisdom says the best way to show appreciation is to increase an employee’s salary. A famous academic article from the 1970s, however, strongly suggests otherwise. Edward L. Deci found that rewarding people with money actually decreased their intrinsic motivation to complete a job. On the other hand, offering positive feedback and verbal reinforcement increased intrinsic motivation.

I’m not saying don’t give your employees raises. What I am saying, though, is that showing appreciation need not be as difficult or expensive as it seems. Simple signs of gratitude and a few kind words can go a long way to showing you don’t take your employees for granted as simple “resources.” And remember - it fulfills the deepest human need. The ROI on a simple “Thank you” can be immense.

3. Encourage “Why?” Questions

Have you ever met a 3-year-old?

Has a 3-year old ever driven you crazy by asking one question over and over … and over again?

That’s right! As soon as young children have their basic needs met and can talk, they immediately want to ask “Why?” And they ask it ABOUT EVERYTHING! They simply don’t stop.

Long before Simon Sinek encouraged businesses to “Start With Why,” philosophers had already recognized that the essence of being a human is the ability to ask “Why?”

That’s why 3-year-olds ask it incessantly - they’re just being human! Note that they never say they need to know the answer to get a job! They have no ulterior motive. They simply want to know. To be a human is simply to want to understand “Why” things are the way they are.

We all began our lives asking “Why?”. But once we went off to school and work, we were discouraged from doing so. Instead, our teachers and bosses began simply telling us “what” to do. “What” instead of “Why.” And thus the toxic environments began.

If you want your workplace to be more encouraging and humane, encourage “Why?” questions. Being told “what” to do makes people feel as if they’re simply objects and resources. On the other hand, being encouraged to ask “Why?” demonstrates that they are valued as individuals and humans.

As an added benefit, employees are much more motivated to complete a job and do it well if they understand why they are doing something.

Do you want your employees to feel respected as humans? And do you want higher-quality results? Then encourage them to get in touch with their 3-year-old selves; encourage them to ask “Why?”

4. Foster Virtues and Eudaimonia

“Eudaimo-what” you ask? Eudaimonia was Aristotle’s term for happiness, but it’s more correctly translated as “living well.” Aristotle pointed out that happiness or “living well” was the driving force behind all of our actions. Everything we do is ultimately aimed at trying to achieve eudaimonia.

Everybody wants to be happy and live well. But how can we do it?

Aristotle answered this question by developing his whole understanding of ethics around the quest for eudaimonia (most famously expressed in his Nicomachean Ethics, a book dedicated to his son Nichomachus). According to Aristotle, a key component to living well and being happy is to develop a set of virtues and act in accordance with them.

Think of people you know whom you consider virtuous. They have patience with others, they’re generous, they don’t tell lies, and they are reliable. I’m willing to bet that the persons you just thought of are in general happier than others. They just have a certain ‘air’ or vibe about them - it’s pleasant to be around them.

Contrast them with people you know who are not necessarily virtuous. They’re having to cover for their lies. They may be trying to cheat others out of a few bucks or cut corners? It may at times ‘seem’ as if those people are getting ahead. But if we’re honest with ourselves, we think their inner life must be filled with turmoil, strife, and angst. You probably don’t want to trade places with them.

If you want a happy workplace, create a work environment that fosters eudaimonia and virtuous behavior. Discourage any sort of dishonest, corner-cutting activities. Disincentivize self-centeredness, impatience and shamelessness. Instead, reward those who do things the “right” way, the virtuous way. Your employees and your business will then “live well.”

5. Emphasize the Social Side of Ourselves

Human beings evolved as social animals. Having some sort of social interaction with others is essential to our nature. Without interacting with others, we shrivel up inside. Aristotle concurred, stating that “without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.”

Pretty much every self-help book you can buy stresses the importance of friendship and social interaction for happiness (here’s a fun one from a philosophical perspective). And yet this “obvious” fact is often overlooked in the workplace - all the more so since the pandemic and the emergence of remote work.

There’s a reason gathering around the proverbial “water cooler” was such an important aspect of office life for years. It allowed social interaction. It allowed friendships to form and flourish. It allowed us to be happy and enjoy coming to work.

Make sure that your company fosters social interaction among employees. Far from being a waste of time, it is essential to creating a place of employment where humans can be happy and productive.

6. Recognize Employees are “Ends in Themselves”

If you took a college philosophy course, you probably heard of Immanuel Kant - arguably the most influential philosopher since ancient Greece. One of the many things Kant is famous for is his “Formula of Humanity.” It states that we should treat all humans as ends-in-themselves and never merely as means.

If you’re asking “What does that mean?”, you’re not alone. Kant’s point was that every human is of infinite value. As a result, nobody should ever “use” another person simply as a means to get what they want. Since each human is infinitely valuable, they should be respected.

In fact, Kant claimed all of ethics could be developed from this simple formula (if you’re up for it, you can read how he does it here).

Translated into today’s terms, Kant may as well have said don’t treat your employees as human “resources”. Resources are “means” to achieve some end. Instead, recognize that your coworkers are human. They are of infinite value - they are valuable in and of themselves (this is what being “ends in themselves” means). They are human “persons.”

We can all sense when our intrinsic value is not respected by bosses and coworkers, even if this disrespect occurs in subtle ways. Over time, such a lack of respect inevitably leads to harmful office spaces and work environments. In these cases, employee turnover is right around the corner.

Find ways to show your colleagues that you value them as humans. Make sure they know that they are more valuable than the simple services they provide at work. Demonstrate to them that they matter, in and of themselves.

Retain Employees with Philosophy

If you want to create a supportive, affirming workplace that makes your employees want to stay, take advice that has stood the test of time. Enable autonomy and creativity, show appreciation, encourage “Why?” questions, foster virtues, emphasize social aspects, and treat others as ends-in-themselves.

When you do so, you’ll be following the advice of great thinkers such as Aristotle and Kant.

Even more importantly, you’ll be eliminating toxic workplaces by transforming your human resources into human ‘persons’ who will stay in your company and perform better.

Did you find these ideas useful? If so, let me know how they helped your organization. Read my other blog posts here. Sign up for my weekly newsletter HERE for more tips to optimize soft skills in your business environment. You can also follow Philosophy 4 Business Leaders on LinkedIn and browse my website www.philosophy4business.com. Contact me if you would like my help implementing some of these ideas in your business. Finally, share this blog with others through your social media channels by clicking the relevant icon below.