Do companies with a soul exist? Why are today’s companies called upon to create purposeful work? In this article, Albert Garcia Pujadas, CEO of the  edtech company  Foxize , reflects on one of the greatest business challenges of our time: how to become more authentic and ethical in order to attract talent and consumers?

“ The current vision of many millennials differs from that of previous generations : there is pessimism toward politics, they want to work for companies that generate a positive impact, and they will stay with them longer. Therefore,  the business challenge of our time is to create work with purpose . This is not my own assertion; it is a powerful reality of our sociological context that has been developing for some time. Back in 2010, the publication of ‘ Mentoring Millennials ‘  in the Harvard Business Review predicted that this is the most socially conscious generation since the 1960s.”

Frederix Laloux  (‘Reinventing Organizations’ )  begins by asking whether “our current worldview limits how we think about organizations. Can we invent a more powerful and meaningful way of working together if we change our belief system?” This new context implies a new evolutionary stage for the business world, its thinking, and its organizational paradigm. This new awareness, Laloux points out, will force us to ” tame our ego and seek new ways of being more authentic and whole .”

 Fad or systemic change?

I honestly don’t know if we’re witnessing the penultimate attempt at capitalism to adapt, or if we’re already in the new post-capitalist era championed by  Paul Mason ( ‘ Postcapitalism: Towards a New Future ‘ ) . What seems clear is that millennials have already changed their mindset ( Young People Are Really Over Capitalism ). Whether it’s the latest management fad or a systemic evolution, the social context exists, and organizations are evolving.

As  Guillermo Echegaray points out ( ‘Companies with Soul, Companies with a Future ‘)  , years ago, using words like happiness, feelings, soul, and spiritual leadership in the business world was practically heresy. Now, however, they are fashionable. It’s plain to see: emotional intelligence is cited by all the management gurus; at Harvard,  Tal Ben-Shahar’s course on “greater happiness” is the most popular at the university ; or even  Michael Porter  and  Mark Kramer  are able to coin the new term  “Creating Shared Value”  so they can do more business with their consulting firm and sell more books.

So, although reluctantly or with ulterior motives,  it seems that human beings are realizing that business is not just business  and that what we do in our companies and projects cannot be at odds with the planet and the human beings who live on it.

Companies with soul

Defining the soul of a company is complex. As Xavier Marcet states, “We don’t know what the soul of a company is, but we can tell when it’s gone.” Similarly,  we would agree that companies that survive “have a soul.”

Although a company, Xavier continues, “is a complex and fragile ecosystem,” we can agree that  it is more than just a place to work, and also more than a system for selling, producing, and collecting payments . Perhaps not all companies, but we recognize some that are much more than that.  Companies that define themselves by a reason for being, by a purpose that goes beyond a bottom line.

Recognizing that soul, the paths it follows, and the systemic principles that govern it is what Guillermo Echegaray has developed in his work  , “Companies with Soul, Companies with a Future .” Anyone  who thinks the term “soul” is something ethereal and unreal is mistaken.  The soul is about connections, about people, about how everything within the organization is aligned, interconnected, and in order. It’s about its daily operations and the trust that is generated. And it’s worth remembering that  trust is a feeling, not an instruction . We can’t tell people to believe in us; it doesn’t work that way. Trust can’t be rushed; it’s a human experience. Just as it’s impossible to fall in love faster,  we need to be patient with our employees or our customers. 

Álvaro Moreno  is characterized by his great social commitment, evident in the “Shops with Soul” project, which integrates numerous social and solidarity projects in collaboration with different associations and NGOs, such as Down Spain, the ALS Association of Andalusia, Tu Casa Azul, the Daughters of Charity Social Dining Hall of Pumarejo or the musical project “Flamenco Fuera de Serie” by El Torombo together with young people from the Three Thousand Homes.

In 2019, the company signed a collaboration agreement with the Down Syndrome Association of Spain to raise awareness about people with Down syndrome and, in particular, to promote their inclusion in the workforce. Thanks to this agreement, there are currently fourteen employees with Down syndrome working at Álvaro Moreno stores throughout Spain, nine of whom have permanent contracts. This was undoubtedly the primary goal of the project and the ultimate aspiration of anyone with Down syndrome and their families.

Employee involvement

And this shift in priority from external (customer) to internal (employee) is one of the essential characteristics of companies aligned with the purpose-driven economy. As Laloux explains, “There is a shift from external to internal criteria in decision-making.  Am I being true to myself with this decision? Is it aligned with what I feel I am called to be?”

Employee motivation is fundamental . Their engagement is, today, one of the greatest challenges for companies in the purpose-driven economy. Those companies with the strongest commitment to social good are precisely the most attractive to employees: the most loyal and productive will be those who share their organization’s values, beyond mere financial gain. But it’s not just employees, consumers, partners, and regulatory bodies; investors are also gradually recognizing its importance. As Laloux anticipates,  the interdependence between this and business success will soon be acknowledged.

About the author

Albert Garcia Pujadas  is CEO and co-founder of  Foxize ,  an edtech company whose personalized training platform, offered both in-person and online, allows businesses, professionals, and schools to stay up-to-date in the areas of business, digital technology, and skills. Foxize has over 50,000 students and more than 100 corporate clients.  Albert Garcia Pujadas is the co-author, with Aina Fernández Aragonès, of the book ” Free or Vassals: The Digital Dilemma . “ You can follow his articles on his blog  , Qtorb ,  where he discusses the evolution of digital society, innovation, and its impact on marketing and real life.

Source:  IPMARK