But You ARE Corporate America

The following was part of a recent discussion around compensation and motives shared by corporations in today’s global economy.

“…even when companies provide compensation in the form of diners and luncheons, I believe we all must keep in mind the number one goal of any business it to make money. To be brutally honest, the entire point of compensation is to keep the employee satisfied so that they provide a good service for the company to what? …….to make the company more money. In essence, you can say the business is feeding the horses for the sole purpose to work them; not because they are hungry.”

Right, the company’s ultimate goal is to remain profitable and to grow. This is a goal that needs to walk hand-in-hand with the company’s other goal (hopefully there is another goal): to serve others. A company should exist to make life better for others. Period. If a company doesn’t make life better for others, it’s hurting others.

Yes, a company hopes to inspire its employees to heights of wonderful production. True. But I think good companies aim to inspire other things in their employees, such as loyalty, devotion, creativity, motivation, well-being and happiness. Yes, there is an element of self-interest in any organization; there has to be. Without an attachment to its own survival, it would be that much easier for that company to falter and die; at which point, its employees would be out of their jobs!

If you consider your own body to be an organization of cells, split into teams (organs, muscles, bones, etc.), don’t you have a self-interest in how things operate within your own “company”? Don’t we tend to pay minimal attention to our different parts until something creates pain? Then we seek to correct the pain as quickly as possible, right? Don’t we try all sorts of things to try to eek more performance out of our bodies? (Well, some of us do.)

I offer that companies are merely extensions of the human experience, so it’s only natural that they should take on human characteristics such as self-interest, greed, dysfunction, altruism, inspiration, pride and generosity.

Thoughts?
Matt