Workplace relationships have changed profoundly in economically developed societies. The rapid transformation of the social pact that bound employees and managers has led to a significant deterioration in human dynamics within organizations. This upheaval raises the question: is it still possible to (re)concile performance and respect for human beings? Can we foster a new approach to management, based on autonomy, meaning, and harmony rather than fear and pressure?
From hierarchical contract to dilution of responsibilities
Wage labor as we know it was built in the context of industrialization and liberal capitalism. It was based on an implicit exchange: the employee offered his time in exchange for securityIn this paternalistic system, everyone had a well-defined place: dominant or dominated, boss or executor.
But in less than fifty years—a short time given human adaptability—this security has collapsed. The constant demand for performance and adaptation to global competition has emptied the social contract of its protective substance.
At the same time, the figure of the boss has stepped aside in favor of that of the manager, no longer perceived as an embodied decision-maker, but as a disembodied manager serving objectives. The hierarchy has become more complex, responsibilities have been diluted, and everyone has become accountable for what happens to them : too slow, not young enough, too trained or not profitable enough.
The forced empowerment of the individual
However, a notable change has emerged: the transition from the role of “submissive” to that of manager has led many individuals to discover their ability to make decisions. This relative autonomy, however, remains fragile. The deeply rooted need for security has not disappeared; it has simply shifted: the employee no longer depends on a boss, but on objectives that are often inaccessible, unstable or dehumanized.
Fear remains. And the higher you climb the corporate ladder, the more it intensifies: fear of losing your status, your influence, your bearings. The pressure becomes internal, self-inflicted, feeding a climate of permanent stress and a form of silent alienation.
The precursors: towards other forms of work
Faced with this impasse, some choose to change direction. Tired of pressure focused solely on profitability, a few individuals - the "alternatives" - dare to marginalize themselves for experiment with new ways of living and working, often more communal, simpler, more anchored in human values.
These pioneers do not reject performance, but subordinate it to a balance in life, to an inner coherence. They remind us that meaning and dignity must not be sacrificed on the altar of productivity.
Which way out?
Believing in a massive return of humanist values in organizations may seem utopian. Because organizations are nothing more than what human beings make of themThey will only change if individuals change.
The real solution is therefore individual: move from the search for security to the construction of autonomyIt's neither easy nor quick. This path involves overcoming deep fears—fear of failure, rejection, exclusion. It requires faith in oneself, in life, in the possibility of contributing differently.
School, education, places of lifelong learning have an essential role to play in prepare future citizens for this transitionIt is about accepting change not as an inevitability, but as an opportunity for inner transformation.
Conclusion: A new paradigm for management
The time has come to imagine a new professional social pact, based no longer on submission, but on:
autonomy and responsibility,
listening to oneself and others,
respect for human dignity,
the search for harmony between performance and values.
Breaking out of the old confinement, evolving our mental models, daring to experiment with new paths — this is the challenge for tomorrow's leaders.
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