How leaders can create a culture where people see work as its own reward 

A new manager has hit the ground running. He lurks around every corner, catching employees whenever they stop to chat, talk on their phones, or take a moment to scroll through social media posts.

Still stinging from the manager’s reprimand one morning, Elaine complains to her coworker, Connor. “I never see him hassle you,” she says. “How do you avoid getting in his crosshairs?”

“Simple,” replies Connor. “I do nothing faster.”

“What do you mean?”

Connor smiles. “I move purposefully from place to place, looking extremely busy without doing any work at all.”

Let’s face it: In a world spinning at light speed, who has time to wait for real results to determine progress, productivity, or success? It’s no surprise that we’ve become increasingly dependent on benchmarks and short-term goals. And, by doing so, we’ve created a vicious circle in which we rely on incomplete data to project hypothetical results, and then base our decisions on those projections to produce more unreliable data.

What should be obvious is that the less sound our systems of evaluation are, the easier it is for unethical or unmotivated players to game those systems. One particularly deceptive form of behavior easily overlooked is this week’s entry into the Ethical Lexicon:

Snudge (snudj) verb

To be stingy or miserly.

To cheat or fudge.

To snuggle or nestle.

To appear thoughtful and purposeful while accomplishing nothing of value.

At first glance, these definitions seem unrelated to one another. But miserliness is essentially a manifestation of greed, which is a likely motivator for cheating or fudging, and which encourages drawing inward to protectively hold close one’s acquired possessions, wealth, or nest egg.

Rather than using one’s resources of time, industry, and creativity for the benefit of an employer–even while collecting a paycheck to do just that–the snudging employee hoards his talents and energy for his own selfish indulgences, expending minimal effort to look productive rather than actually being productive.

In this, snudgers in workplaces the world over find dependable allies in their smartphones and tablets. Simply lean into your device, furrow your brow, and peer intently at the screen. Coworkers and bosses have no way of knowing whether you’re busy contemplating the next step in your current project or checking out a new watering hole for your next after-hours drink.

The sad truth is that snudging is ultimately unfulfilling. On the one hand, there might be a certain wicked pleasure in taking home a day’s pay without having done a day’s work. But time spent flying under the radar provides no genuine satisfaction since there’s no sense of accomplishment to make each day meaningful.

Therefore, the question that employees like Connor need to ask themselves is this: What do I want from my job? Do I want to collect a paycheck by exerting minimal effort, or do I want to utilize my potential by contributing to a worthwhile enterprise?

The question employers need to ask themselves becomes: Am I providing an environment in which my employees see themselves as partners in a higher mission so they feel driven to devote themselves to our collective success?

A Jewish parable illustrates the point: A fellow walks into a shop one afternoon and is immediately greeted by a young employee. His name tag identifies him as Josh.

“How can I help you today?” Josh asks. He quickly and politely answers the customer’s questions, guides him to where he can find what he’s looking for, and then seems to vanish, reappearing moments later on the other side of the shop to help another customer.

Josh seems to be everywhere at once, stepping up to do whatever needs to be done without being asked or instructed. The visitor watches in wonder until he eventually notices a second employee who is the antithesis of the first. This worker shuffles along without energy or direction, takes no initiative, and moves slowly into action only when prodded by the owner.

The visitor can’t help pointing out the contrast to another customer. “It’s no surprise, really,” he’s told. “The slacker… he’s just a high school kid who wants to make a few bucks for pocket money. But Josh… well, he’s the owner’s son.”

We don’t need to hire family members to find eager and enthusiastic workers. Leaders need to make employees feel like they’re part of a community, have a stake in the organization, and are valued and appreciated for their contributions. When leaders give their people not only a paycheck but a sense of purpose and responsibility, they will never have to worry about employees snudging their way through work day after day.