Work is the amount of mechanical and internal energy that an object gains or loses from undergoing physical action. In physics, it is the dot product of two vector quantities: force and displacement. It is expressed mathematically by W = Fd, where d is the distance of the body with the applied force in the direction of the force, and cos th is an angle between force and displacement. The SI unit of work is the Joule, a measure of 1 Nm (kg m/sec2) of energy transfer.
When both force and displacement are in the same direction, such as the example of a football rolling on a flat surface, positive work is done. On the other hand, when both force and displacement are in the opposite direction, such as a weightlifter lifting a 150-kg load for 30 seconds on his shoulder, negative work is done.
It’s a good idea to work hard and put in a lot of effort, but there are times when it’s a good idea to rest or take time off. Taking an extended break from your regular duties can give you a fresh perspective and new ideas for how to improve your performance in the workplace, which will also lead to greater job satisfaction.
You’ll also be able to spend more time on hobbies or activities you enjoy, instead of working long hours in the office. This will increase your productivity, reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.
Your workplace is a great place to cultivate your questing and connecting dispositions, and it’s important to find ways to connect with other people who have these qualities, too. It’s also a good idea to build trust in your organization so you can be sure that everyone is going to support you and your work in the way you need it.
Redefining Work
One of the most fundamental shifts that companies will need to make in order to effectively re-envision their workforce and the way they do business is to redefine the purpose of work itself. This means re-defining the values, goals, and objectives of what work is, what it can accomplish, and how it can be done.
This will also require re-defining how organizations think about where and how their work gets done, what processes and practices they use, when and who goes about doing it. It will also mean re-defining how they engage employees in sustained creative opportunity identification, problem-solving, solution development and implementation.
It’s not enough to just re-envision how you do work–you need to make the change a permanent part of your company culture, ensuring that the new vision and goals for your organization remain alive and well. This will require re-envisioning the management systems, workplace environments, operations, leadership capabilities, performance management and compensation systems, and other human capital practices that your organization has used over the years.
The primary difference between redefining work and traditional approaches to reskilling workers or moving them to an adjacent part of the business is that redefining work itself will expand value for your organization and the people who make up your workforce. It will allow you to leverage the skills and passion of your workforce to do work for a fundamentally different purpose, allowing your organization to better serve customers, partners, and other stakeholders.