URBAN TALES: SOCIAL AWARENESS AND WORK CULTURE

Because of the lack of opportunities to go abroad, along with many other circumstances, our businesses over the years have faced a group of people who did not have many demands in the workplace simply because they had no alternative. In many companies, it can even be said openly that human dignity has been violated. Today, however, we have a new generation that does not accept—even in the slightest degree—any violation of their dignity. On the contrary, they have demands that are often perceived as “luxurious”: they want work to be an attractive experience, not merely a means of survival.

Written by: Lorik Idrizi

If you talk with younger generations, you will notice that for some of them employment is no longer a matter of survival, as it has culturally been imposed in many Western Balkan countries by numerous businesses. In the past, workers often heard narratives such as: “I feed you.”

What is interesting is that young people have already moved beyond the survival dimension and entered a new stage where, above all else, the preservation of human dignity and the demand for work to be attractive and meaningful stand at the forefront.

Due to the lack of opportunities to go abroad, and for many other reasons, our businesses for years dealt with workers who had few demands in the workplace because they had no alternative. In many companies, human dignity was openly compromised. But today we are facing a new generation that does not accept—even in the smallest measure—any violation of their dignity. Instead, they have demands that are often perceived as “luxurious”: they want work to be an engaging experience, not merely a survival tool.

This impulse is extremely positive and will have a major social impact. Finally, the dimension of dignity in the workplace will become unquestionable, allowing society to move into further emancipatory phases, where companies and businesses will genuinely demonstrate what is called social responsibility.

The government, perhaps, should also develop policies that encourage businesses to show greater social responsibility in this dimension, for example through tax incentives or various governmental programs. This is necessary because there is still a lack of willingness among many businesses, which often choose to remain apathetic toward the social responsibility they hold toward the community.

In a conversation with a friend who lives in a Scandinavian country, he told me that his company, in addition to salary, offers three vouchers: one for fitness, one for the theater, and one for the cinema. He admitted that these vouchers encouraged him to develop new habits—regularly going to the gym and watching films together with his family.

In this context, in many parts of the world not only is the full integrity of workers protected, but human and educational virtues are actively encouraged. This is how social responsibility is manifested, because businesses themselves function within that community. And not only that: every individual who achieves success automatically generates positive impulses for society, whether through such vouchers, scholarships for outstanding students, or support for local clubs and social life.

The text was developed within the framework of the project “Representation for Inclusive Development,” financially supported by the Government of Switzerland through the Civica Mobilitas program.

The content of this text is the sole responsibility of the Forum for Reasonable Policies, IOHN, and BIRC, and in no way can it be considered to reflect the views of the Government of Switzerland, Civica Mobilitas, or its implementing organizations.

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