The Rise of Individualism

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The Rise of Individualism. In the last 30 years, we have seen the gradual rise of the individual. The individual has now been thrust onto the centre stage in the 21st century. Due to multiple factors including political mistrust, changes in how we work, the impact of the digital world, and the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The individual has become more powerful and the “group” less so. Many people want to embrace individualism to feel they have the freedom to make their own choices in life, carving out a specific path with no interference or persuasion from anyone else.

This, however, is not only a force for good; there are also negative aspects attributed to individualism. The individual is more self-aware, self-reliant, and self-assured. However, this may also lead to an increased resistance to change, a lack of cooperation, and an unwillingness to adapt. 

The world seems to be hurtling towards individualism, particularly within business, as organisations are now being forced to assess the bigger picture in terms of how their employees are treated. Especially in way that the business currently operates, how employees interact and engage, and to what degree relationships are built and maintained. 

Our work from anywhere future

It’s no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic catapulted the adoption of working from home into the modern workplace. Predictions made during the pandemic by the US public policy think tank, the Brookings Institute: “A global surge of remote working amid the Covid-19 crisis could leave a lasting footprint” (Guyot & Sawhill, 2020)[i] led many organisations to incorporate it into their long-term strategies. 

Presently, organisations have adapted this further by adopting hybrid work models as many continue to see the benefits of remote work, however, there are also challenges to consider for both the business and the employee.

Individuals who started remote working during the pandemic were quick to set up offices at home and create an online “work” persona – projecting only what they wanted others to see. By creating a semi online professional persona, individuals were able to direct the narrative of themselves as a person, and as a work colleague. However, if anything, this created a barrier between building and maintaining relationships, because is an online persona ever really the real you?

Also, the individual strengthened as greater autonomy was awarded over workloads, which some say enabled a more focused and productive approach. However, if the individual chose to, they were able to switch off from the outside world, ignore calls and emails and work in a bubble of their own.

After a while, the feeling of loneliness and isolation creeps in – working from home isn’t suited to everyone after all. The individual being self-assured, and confident loses their impact when a disconnect from colleagues and the organisation starts to appear. The sense of belonging and inclusion one tends to automatically get working in an office environment begins to fade, and communication and collaboration becomes more of a challenge. The individual starts to transition into an island which is an absolute disaster for business, but more so for their own mental health.

Working remotely, either at home or another location of choice has well and truly been established within the UK and beyond, for the foreseeable future, and will likely remain a prominent feature of the modern workplace. 

Nature vs Nurture

So, how much does a person’s character allow for them to get on in life and how much of it is learnt behaviour? Nature vs. nurture is a complex debate which has been ongoing for decades, with experts acknowledging that both play a role in development. We’re constantly comparing our lives to everyone else with Theodore Roosevelt once saying: “Comparison is the thief of joy” (Darcangelo, 2022)[ii].

Individuals now have an online as well as an offline persona, and they may well be jealous of their own online persona because it’s the view they want to put out into the world. Days out, holidays, nice car, etc. but the individual is disconnecting from how they really feel and how they choose to express themselves. Constantly living up to unrealistic expectations, always making comparisons with someone else.

One way to fix this is nature vs. nurture – nature is the cards we were dealt in life – our genetics, personality, characteristics; and the nurture is how we’re going to play the game of life. But, at which stage is nurture complete? It never is. Nurture is an ongoing process of constant evaluation of yourself in different situations and around different people. Ask yourself, what role do you like playing? By determining this, you can instantly feel more connected to yourself and those around you. 

The idea of nature as the driving force, particularly in business, claims that some individuals are just fundamentally suited to leadership tasks. Leadership comes naturally to some people; they have a natural charisma, their own way of doing things. Some argue it is not a skill that can be learnt. However, many believe the other side of the debate – business skills or “soft skills” can be taught and developed from years of experience. Skills such as communication, negotiating, resilience, adaptability, to name a few, can be learnt. Yes, many individuals appear more suited to leadership roles, however it’s hard to believe anyone is really born a “natural” leader.

Summary

The question is, how do we tackle individualism within the workplace? Yes, we love to see our colleagues thrive, however we also need to address the fundamental issues to stop it taking over, such as lack of human contact, loneliness, isolation, minimal communication. We need to nurture those who wish to develop themselves as an individual but making sure it is done whilst being part of the team – this is where inclusion begins. Creating a culture that prioritises the wellbeing of employees by encouraging trust, respect, and empathy is essential to minimise damaging silos whilst also ensuring support at all levels within an organisation.


[i] Guyot & Sawhill, Brookings Institution, 6 April 2020

[ii] Darcangelo, Lowell Sun, 22 October 2022