Several years ago, there was a viral video going around the internet based on a TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson about the way that our society approaches education. The argument was made that the public education system was established to prepare workers for an industrialist society, not one that relies on creativity and innovation in the way the 21st-century workplace does.
Robinson’s point was that, as the modern workplace changes, so too should the way we educate the next generation.
What was interesting about the talk was the perspective given on why we educate students the way we do, because someone long ago made a lot of decisions about how to structure schools and classrooms and we’ve all embraced that for generations, without too many questions. Similarly, I think our cultural attitude towards work has also patterned after an industrialist mindset to work.
The industrial age brought us the assembly line, the 40-hour workweek, the weekend and worker’s rights. Because of industrialization, many of the rhythms of life as we know it emerged.
For example, directly tied to the industrial age is the entertainment industry. Audiences longed to be entertained to de-stress from the rigorous demands placed on them through the workweek, so towns and cities across the country built theaters to showcase touring vaudeville acts, and later films.
Here we find ourselves, in a new industrial revolution, the technological age. Similar to the industrial age, the impact of technology has changed so much about the way we live and interact with the world. Yet, many modern workplaces, particularly before the pandemic, still embody many of the same rhythms well established by the industrial age.
Colleen Cook works full-time as the Director of Operations at Vinyl Marketing in Ashland, where she resides with her husband Mike and three young daughters. She’s an insatiable extrovert who enjoys finding reasons to gather people.
As things begin to return to “normal,” businesses have learned the value and impact of technology on their companies and their workers. Business leaders are seeing opportunities to leverage technology at every level moving forward in ways many have been resistant to in the past.
As the workforce adapts, so too should our attitude toward work. We live in an incredible time, where you can gain an education in anything you desire to learn if you have access to the internet.
If you’re willing to put in the work, you can learn skills and gain experience in nearly any field, and you can work from anywhere you choose. If you have passion, skill and a strong work ethic, you can have the career of your dreams.
Why do we work, after all? The self-serving reasons are to earn money that will allow us to meet our needs and, for those who find success, live the lifestyle we desire. But, bigger than that, we’re able to make an impact on the world with the time we’re given.
We’re able to do some good for the world around us, contribute something, connect, and help others with our skills, time and energy. For the luckiest among us, we’re able to spend our days pursuing our passions to make our impact.
If we are still approaching work with an industrialist mindset, living for time off and toiling through the week, it begs the question: isn’t there another, better way?
