In the private sphere, we find it quite normal to feel love for each other, but in the workplace it is different. Professor of Ethics, Organisation and Society at Maastricht University, Harry Hummels thinks that this can and must change. He reasons from the Greek concept of 'Agape': the love for each other and for humanity. The Greek concept EROS is about love in our private lives, Agape focuses on love for each other, for humanity, and especially in our daily lives and thus in the workplace.
Harry Hummels is Professor of Ethics, Organisations and Society within the Department of Finance at the School of Business and Economics of Maastricht University. He is also Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at the Utrecht University School of Economics. In addition to his academic positions, he held senior management positions in the financial sector for almost 20 years. Harry writes and lectures on Agape, responsible business, organisational ethics, philosophy of work, responsible and sustainable investing, impact investing and social entrepreneurship. Harry loves the good life: a warm family life, family holidays, reading, cooking, walking and good conversations with friends, preferably in café Frowijn.
Agape
Agape is one of the four terms the ancient Greeks used for the concept of love. But according to Harry Hummels, the word love has been interpreted in different ways. That is why the professor prefers to describe Agape as commitment, well-being and the flourishing of others. "In all honesty, in my ING career, if someone had been knocking on my door with the term 'love', I would have been like, 'What is this man talking about? It's not exactly a term you use in business. At the same time, we are constantly concerned with the well-being and prosperity of others. We see that in our daily lives on the shop floor. But think also of all the initiatives that are taken to support the people in Ukraine. We take care of that, we pay attention to that. So that is, as the ancient Greeks would say, a form of love".
Public debate
In the first instance, the question with an organisation is 'what is your organisation's identity and what are your core values?' Then come questions like 'why are you here at all and what do you want to achieve?
"You don't surrender your personality when you come to work here. You don't come here just to use your tasks or your brains. You come in here as a full human being. With your history, your experiences and your goals. The nice thing about that is when you take people, as an organisation, so seriously that they dare to develop. And you benefit from that as a company," says Harry.
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