Is 'Dissatisfaction' Bad for an Organization?

I am Kenichi Takida, an organizational and HR consultant. Through my work providing advice on HR systems, talent development, and management,
I have the opportunity to speak with many executives and HR professionals.
Amidst many comments like, "I thought I had set up the systems, but people aren't developing as I expected,"
or "I feel like there is less conversation in the office than before," I will share tips
on how to help "people grow" and "organizations change little by little,"
while focusing on the "relationships between people" that are taken for granted in an organization,
in a way that is as easy to understand as possible.
The 170th installment is "
Is 'Dissatisfaction' Bad for an Organization?". I hope this will serve as an opportunity for you to reflect on your daily management and leadership.

Is 'Dissatisfaction' Bad for an Organization?

— Companies Where Problems Grow vs. Companies Where They Are Crushed —

(1) Is a company with a lot of dissatisfaction really a bad company?

When the word "dissatisfaction" comes up in an organization, many people get a little defensive.
"They are just complaining,"
"They are being negative,"
"It ruins the atmosphere of the organization."
There are quite a few people who have such impressions.
Therefore, in the workplace, dissatisfaction and the raising of issues are sometimes suppressed unconsciously.
But is dissatisfaction really bad for an organization?
Actually, when looking at many organizations, that is not necessarily the case.
Rather, the problem is not that there is dissatisfaction, but that dissatisfaction can no longer be voiced.
There are always seeds of discomfort and issues on the front lines.
How work is carried out, how performance is evaluated, and the mechanisms for sharing information.
These small feelings of discomfort are also important hints for improving the organization.
However, when those voices stop being heard, the problems quietly grow within the organization.

(2) That was mentioned before

A business problem occurred at a certain company.
When investigating the cause in a meeting, a frontline employee said this:
"Actually, I had noticed that problem before."
Another employee continued:
"I once consulted my supervisor about it before."
Furthermore, comments like these also emerged:
"But I was told it couldn't be helped because we were busy..."
"I thought it would be improved eventually."
In other words, the problem did not happen suddenly; there were signs of it from before.
However, it was not sufficiently addressed at that time, and as a result, it surfaced as a major problem.
Such cases are by no means rare.
In many organizations, before a problem occurs, there is always a small voice present.

(3) Companies where problems "grow" and companies where they are "crushed"

There are broadly two types of organizations.
① Companies where problems grow
In this type of company, there is an environment where discomfort and the raising of issues are relatively easy to express.
When someone says, "There is something that bothers me a little,"
there is an atmosphere that accepts it by saying, "What do you mean?" or "Tell me more."
As a result, improvements are made at the stage of small issues.

② Companies where problems are crushed On the other hand, there are organizations where it is difficult to raise issues.
When someone raises their voice,
what happens if reactions like "That can't be helped," "It's always been that way," or "We're busy right now" are returned?
Gradually, people stop talking about problems.
And eventually,

problems stop surfacing. However, that does not mean the problems have disappeared. They have simply

become invisible.

(4) Creating a culture that welcomes "raising issues"

So, how can an organization make use of raised issues?
What is necessary is a culture that evaluates the person who points out the problem.
For example, there are words of encouragement like these:
"Thank you for telling me," "That perspective is important."
Even just these few words can change the atmosphere of an organization.
Another important thing is to separate raising an issue from personal criticism.
The reason many people find it difficult to speak up is
because they have the anxiety that "it might look like I am criticizing someone."
However, most problems are not individual problems, but
problems of mechanisms and structures. When that perspective is shared, it becomes easier for voices to be heard.

(5) Small voices make an organization stronger

In an organization where raising issues is welcomed, the following changes occur.
First, the discovery of problems becomes faster.
Because they are shared at the stage of small discomfort, they can be dealt with before they become major troubles.
Next, the proactivity of the front lines increases.
By feeling that their own opinions influence the organization, the way they engage with their work changes.
Furthermore, the learning speed of the organization also increases.
This is because, triggered by a single problem,
a dialogue about "what can be done to make it better" is born.
Such accumulation makes the organization stronger little by little.

◇ Frequently Asked Questions Q&A
Q: If you allow dissatisfaction to be voiced freely, won't it just become constant complaining?
There are also people who worry about that.
However, in reality, in an organization that can handle problems constructively, mere complaining does not last long.
This is because the focus of the conversation shifts from "who is to blame" to
"what can be done to make it better".
Conversely, in an environment where dissatisfaction cannot be voiced, problems do not surface, and only dissatisfaction may increase behind the scenes.
What is important is not to deny dissatisfaction, but to turn it into a dialogue that leads to improvement.

(6) Summary: When voices disappear, the organization stops learning

The existence of dissatisfaction within an organization is not something special.
Rather, the people working on the front lines have many realizations in their daily work.
The problem is when those voices stop being heard.
"It won't change even if I say it," "I'll be thought of as a troublesome person."
When such an atmosphere spreads, the voices from the front lines gradually disappear.
And as a result, problems quietly grow within the organization.
What is important for an organization is not to eliminate dissatisfaction.
It is to create a relationship where problems can be voiced with peace of mind.
An organization with that relationship learns from problems and becomes stronger little by little.

A final word
The dissatisfaction and discomfort that emerge within an organization are by no means useless.
They are the reality that the front lines are seeing, and they are also hints for making the organization better.
However, when those voices are denied or ignored, people gradually close their mouths.
And quietly, the raising of issues disappears from the organization.
For an organization to continue learning, it does not need to be perfect.
What is important is a relationship where discomfort can be shared.
Accepting small voices.
The dialogue that starts from there is what becomes the power to move the organization forward.

That is all for today. I look forward to our continued work together.