[Originally published as a LinkedIn article in 2017; updated 2022 here.]
I was caught short by a similar headline. The focus is on the definition of the prostitution unrelated to sex: "the unworthy or corrupt use of one's talents for the sake of personal or financial gain." We might consider someone to have prostituted themselves if they surrender their values in order to win a contract, employment or promotion. The article challenged business leaders to stop doing this to their employees, since many of us say that our greatest asset is our people. The challenge is to be more relational and seeking the best interest of your employees who are trading their time and talents for wages. The employment relationship basis doesn't have to be simply transactional and without care.
“I give you money—I bought you—so you do what I tell you to do.” A simple but corrupted view of employment. This easily happens when we want employees to sacrifice a high priority for them—such as a child’s special event—to work an extra shift. It happens when we expect “immediate” responses to messages, emails, calls during off-hours or, worse yet, vacations.
Or we want them to stop talking about the things they see as problems in order to get along with the rest of the team, or to stop being a hassle, like an earwig burrowing into your brain every time they bring up the ideas they’re passionate about. (It could be they’re not a good fit with the organization; that’s a different problem that shouldn’t require them to disavow their beliefs but find another employment opportunity.) If we ask employees to violate a policy or overlook a requirement because “this is a different situation,” we’re treating them as if they have no mind or soul to worry about. We ignore the internal stress they may have or wondering how to understand the next ethical dilemma. When we treat people outside our organization then we treat our employees, it’s a problem; we’re sucking up to customers—prostituting ourselves—while asking our employees to suck up to our wishes and the customers’ wishes.
One restaurant group in Seattle has taken on this challenge, recognizing that the hospitality industry that's supposed to welcoming and serving 'strangers' does little to care for and serve its employees. Restaurants in particular have extremely high turnover often chewing up and spitting out employees when they've been 'used up'. One example of a change the restaurant owners have made: during the interview process they ask, "How would working here help you become the person you want to be?"
Similarly, one human services company for which I was a board director had a similar question that they not asked their clients but also their employees: "How can we help you achieve your dream?" They also had a rule that said, "Nothing about me without me" meaning that no discussions took place without the client's or employee's input. That always struck me as a rule that would help prevent talking about or treating employees as if they're just a machine, stapler or some other resource to get things done. Especially when things aren't going well and efforts are wasted or results are disastrous. How often have we talked about our employees without the respect and dignity they deserve?
I like these simple reminders like the human service company's rule or the interview question. I've tried to stay true to my values at every moment but in the heat of the moment (or the pressure of meeting payroll) I sometimes fall short. These rules can help me. I challenge you to see if your organization is developing your employees, helping them become the people they want to be, achieve their dreams or whatever meaningful expression you want to use. They aren't machines that can be tweaked and tuned through an employee preventive maintenance program (like recognition, incentives, PTO, etc.) without having some heart and relationship. If you treat them like this, you're perpetuating 'weak links'. We need to create stronger links lest the whole chain breaks down. Don't treat them like prostitutes. Treat them like people of value and worthy of honor because of their talents, skills and the experience they bring to help your organization succeed.
People are God’s greatest creation. God reminded Job of this: “You may not be able to build mountains or turn back tides or run as fast as horse or be as strong as an ox…but I created you in My image and it’s you that I love the most.” If God can honor and respect Job, who was really struggling physically and emotionally, we should be able to do the same.
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