What Is PolyLabor?

What is PolyLabor? 

pol•y•la•bor 

(noun) 

An ethical approach to business which allows for people to be their whole selves engaging in an intentional and consentful relationship with their co-workers, teams, and the organizations they work for.  

The roots of the word PolyLabor are in Latin and most precisely mean Many Efforts. People are putting forth effort into many things beyond their day-to-day job. The ethical call to action for organizations and leaders in a PolyLabor approach is to make a space where there is understanding that people are in a collaborative relationship with the company and that they don’t cut their non-work selves off at the door. PolyLabor calls us to recognize human beings as whole, and complete in of themselves. Each person is not defined by their occupation, role, or job title. Instead, they are respected as a person with life, thoughts, feelings, and responsibilities outside the workplace. 

For individual contributors, this means that they get to bring their individual passions, interests, skills, and desires to the workplace and negotiate a work environment that works best for them. 

For leaders, this means having a deeply engaged workforce that takes a collaborative, self-directed approach to their growth and the growth of the organization. 

For organizations, this means having the results they want by building a culture with the intent to make the workspace safe for employees, customers, and the community. The organization takes an interest in being a participant in enabling everyone’s efforts, whether personal or work efforts, and in lifting the community they are part of.