Ah, the honey badger. The internet has immortalized this creature. “Honey badger don’t care,” the narrator famously declared in a viral video, and the phrase stuck. We chuckle at the honey badger’s audacious indifference. But while the honey badger’s attitude is entertaining, it’s a concept that highlights a critical issue in the workplace: caring. Because, unlike the honey badger, in the professional world, employee care is everything.
Most of us aren’t honey badgers. We do care. We care deeply about things, from significant matters like our family’s well-being to seemingly minor irritations like traffic delays. Humans are emotional beings, and these emotions drive our actions. This is why we hear so much about “passion” and “finding your bliss” in career advice. The underlying message is clear: we excel when we genuinely care about what we do.
Terms like “employee engagement,” “mojo,” or “flow” are often thrown around in business. But at their core, they all boil down to one thing: care. Engagement studies consistently reveal that employees are motivated by two primary factors: “What’s in it for me?” and, crucially, “Why should I care?”. These two questions drive attraction and retention, and the second, “Why should I care?”, is where the honey badger analogy becomes particularly relevant.
Honey badger meme illustrating the concept of indifference and contrasting it with the need for employee care in the workplace.
Employee engagement often emphasizes “discretionary effort” – that extra mile employees are willing to go. Companies thrive on this discretionary effort. These are the employees who push projects forward, solve problems, and elevate the entire workplace. But before we even get to discretionary effort, there’s a more fundamental question: do employees care enough to even do the basics? Are they committed to putting in a full day’s work with reasonable effort and focus?
Consider your current or past workplace. What were most people actually doing most of the time? In a healthy environment where employees care, you see competent individuals fulfilling their roles, arriving punctually, and adhering to work hours. You might even see some highly engaged overachievers going above and beyond.
However, what happens when employees simply don’t care? This isn’t about outright disengagement or malicious intent. It’s about a more subtle indifference. Employees who are a few minutes late daily, extend lunch breaks, or leave early. These may seem like minor infractions, but they are symptoms of a deeper issue that can lead to significant problems:
- “Box-checking” mentality: Tasks are completed superficially without questioning their value or impact.
- Low-energy workspaces: A lack of enthusiasm and initiative creates a stagnant environment.
- Erosion of morale: Indifference is contagious and can negatively impact team spirit.
- Culture of mediocrity: When caring is absent, average performance becomes the norm.
- Exodus of top performers: Driven and engaged employees become frustrated and seek environments where their care is reciprocated.
- Workplace chaos: Figuratively, it can feel like “dogs and cats living together…mass hysteria!!” – things fall apart when no one truly cares about maintaining order and excellence.
It’s unrealistic to expect unwavering, fanatical engagement all the time. Everyone needs breaks, and fluctuations in motivation are normal. However, even during downtime, employees should still care about the bigger picture – the company’s success, their job quality, and doing what’s right. This inherent sense of care drives them to ask pertinent questions, challenge when necessary, and make sound decisions based on critical factors.
While employee engagement programs and strategies are valuable for driving business growth and talent retention, we must not overlook the foundational importance of simply having employees who care. Before engagement, before discretionary effort, there is care.
“The thing is, Bob, it’s not that I’m lazy, it’s that I just don’t care.”
– Peter Gibbons (Office Space)
So, how do you cultivate a workplace where employees genuinely care? What are the signs that your employees care? And, as a leader, do YOU care? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
