Losing the human

29/11/2024

‘In a fully developed bureaucracy there is nobody left with whom one can argue, to whom one can represent grievances, or on whom the pressures of power can be exerted. We have a tyranny without a tyrant.’ (Hannah Arendt)

I’ve been astonished in recent months by numerous accounts from friends, colleagues and clients of feeling mangled in the machines of bureaucracy. Some have been in commercial business contexts and others, more depressingly in many respects, in the explicitly values-orientated not-for-profit sector. A recurring theme has been being passed from pillar to post, being subjected to impersonal policies, processes and procedures, with no account taken of the human costs.

Against this background, I have been remarkably impressed by these same individuals’ resilience. I’ve been amazed at their ability to survive and persevere on the edges of systems that care on paper but demonstrate no empathy in practice. Some have attributed their endurability to trust in God, some to support from family and friends, some to techniques like mindfulness, others to a pragmatic approach in life. They are a testimony to the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Ironically, when I speak with people who operate the machinery in such organisations, I don’t often encounter faceless, unfeeling bureaucrats. I do often find people trying hard to do what they or their management considers to be the right thing, or cold technology requires them to do, often against a backdrop of competing pressures and demands and far-from-adequate resources to address them. Losing the human becomes an inadvertent cultural pattern and consequence.

Do you need help to rediscover the human in your organisation? Get in touch!

18 Comments

Michelle Collier

29/11/2024 02:01:34 pm

Thanks for sharing this, Nick. It hits so close to home. I spent weeks trying to resolve a health care issue recently, shuttled between departments who all seemed genuinely overworked and unable to help. I wanted to scream at the faceless “system,” but, like you, I realized the people in it were just as trapped as I was. What got me through was my partner’s patience and, honestly, a lot of deep breaths. It’s comforting to know I’m not alone but frustrating that this is so universal.

Nick Wright

30/11/2024 03:35:36 pm

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing from personal experience. It resonates with comments I've heard from quite a lot of people working in the health sector recently - that the UK National Health Service is surviving thanks to the values, commitment and perseverance of its staff, and in spite of its own systems. I'm pleased you've had support and that deep breathing helped.

Harvey Rayor

29/11/2024 02:03:48 pm

Hey Nick. Forgive me, but this is both true and maddening. Bureaucracy isn’t just inefficient; it’s dehumanizing. How can we accept that people, especially in the not-for-profit world, are subjected to these soul-crushing systems? The real problem isn’t just resources or competing priorities; it’s complacency. Organizations could fix this if they made it a priority, but instead, they hide behind policies and budgets. We need a revolution in how we expect institutions to treat people, plain and simple. Keep writing!

30/11/2024 03:38:54 pm

Hi Harvey. Yes, it can feel intensely frustrating. Part of the problem is a shift in goals (e.g. towards financial efficiency), often away from not-for-profit organisations' original purpose. Factors such as financial efficiency are clearly important, but as a means to an end and not as the end in themselves.

Kay Stone

29/11/2024 02:25:48 pm

What stands out to me in your post, Nick, is the potential for change. If we can recognize the humanity of those on both sides of these systems, perhaps there’s a way to bridge the gap. Imagine a world where every organization is trained to prioritize empathy and adaptability. Technologies could be designed with humanity at their core, rather than as a crutch for efficiency. It feels like a lofty goal, but the resilience you’ve highlighted shows that people are capable of leading this transformation. Maybe we just need to start with small, tangible steps, rethinking one policy, one process, one interaction at a time.

30/11/2024 03:43:09 pm

Hi Kay. Yes, the change that's needed is fundamentally human, and can only be achieved by humans. One of the challenges in complex systems is where to start, especially if politics and other drivers continually push back towards the status quo.

I'm struck by a friend and colleague's reflections in this area: ‘How is that human systems seem so naturally to gravitate away from their humanness, so that we find ourselves constantly needing to pull them back again?’ (Jenny Cave-Jones)

Perhaps hope lays in, as you say, 'one interaction at a time.'

Zhang Yan (张燕)

29/11/2024 02:37:43 pm

Hello Nick. Nice blog. I go to office because I need paper. Important paper. Without paper, my son cannot go to school.
The building is big, gray, like it has no soul. Inside, many people wait, holding numbers. I get number too. It is 407. Big screen says 112. I sit. Time moves slow.

Finally, my turn comes. The woman behind glass, she does not smile. She asks for forms. I give her all forms I have. She looks, shakes her head. "You need Form C-12," she says. I ask where to get it. She points to another line. I wait again.
In that line, they say I must go to another office across the city. I take bus, stand in rain, wait more. There, they tell me, "Oh no, C-12, it is online now."

At home, I try online. Website is confusing. It crashes many times. Next day, I go back to office, explain. Woman behind glass looks tired. "Come back tomorrow," she says. I almost cry. Tomorrow? Always tomorrow. Nobody says yes, nobody says no. Only later. I walk out. No paper, no answer. I wonder if they even know what they do behind their glass walls. Maybe they are stuck too.

30/11/2024 03:48:23 pm

Hi Yan and thank you for sharing a personal account that illustrates, so well, the human experience and cost of facing bureaucracy. What you went through sounds both frustrating and exhausting! I had a similar but different experience with a retail organisation recently...which, in spite of so many attempts on my part, remains unresolved. I hope you had more success than I have had so far. I agree that, so often, the people on the other side of the desk, or behind the glass, are trapped and frustrated by these same systems.

Aaron Morgan

29/11/2024 02:50:11 pm

I completely disagree with your take. Bureaucracy isn’t some faceless villain or broken system, It’s a necessary tool to maintain fairness, consistency, and order. The very policies you criticise are often in place to prevent chaos or favouritism. Yes, they can be frustrating, but that’s the trade-off for ensuring everyone is treated equally.

You paint a picture of organisations as cold and unfeeling, but isn’t that exactly what people demand? If we let empathy dictate decisions, we risk turning systems into arbitrary messes where rules are bent based on who cries the loudest or gets the right ear. Efficiency and objectivity require structure, and sometimes that structure means a lack of personal touch.

And let’s be real. Your examples of resilience are admirable, but is that really the system’s fault? People adapt because life demands it, not because the bureaucracy is uniquely soul-crushing. Instead of blaming organisations, why not accept that imperfections in large systems are inevitable and focus on making them clearer and more accessible, rather than insisting they be “humanised” to the point of dysfunction?

30/11/2024 04:00:39 pm

Hi Aaron and thank you for such a passionate and human response. I think that's a fair and interesting challenge. I would agree that having efficient and effective systems in place can, at times, enhance the human experience. It's not that every dimension of a bureaucracy is necessarily unhelpful per se.

I think a problem arises when bureaucracy becomes an end in itself. It can feel then as if people exist to serve the machine, rather than the other way around. It's a similar problem if we revere efficiency and effectiveness as ends in themselves rather than means by which to achieve an important purpose or goal.

We could apply the same question and challenge to notions of, say, fairness and consistency - where fairness is a value and consistency is a standard: both of which need to be considered in relation to a wider and deeper purpose. Systems, policies and processes should be developed in light of what it is and means to be human.

Lisa Diamond

29/11/2024 02:58:59 pm

Timely blog Nick. Bureaucracy truly feels like a machine designed to strip away humanity. Your reflection on resilience is inspiring though. It’s a reminder that people can find strength even in the bleakest circumstances. I hope organisations start to recognize the toll they’re taking and put empathy back at the centre.

30/11/2024 04:01:39 pm

Thanks Lisa. Me too!

Jonathan Turvey

29/11/2024 03:56:21 pm

Nick, this issue is a textbook example of how systemic inefficiencies erode the human element in organisational interactions. From a systems-thinking perspective, the disconnect between policy intent and execution creates a feedback loop where individuals on both ends suffer. Addressing this requires not just empathy but structural change: streamlining processes, investing in technology that supports nuanced decision-making and, most importantly, training staff to operate with flexibility within policies. The question is, who will take the initiative to begin this cultural shift?

30/11/2024 04:09:22 pm

Hi Jonathan. I agree wholeheartedly on the significance of a 'disconnect between policy intent and execution'. Intent relates to purpose and, if adherence to a policy becomes a means to an end in itself, it's like losing the proverbial plot. I've met people who apply policies with no idea why they exist. I agree too that nuanced decision-making (and the authority to make such decisions) and flexibility within policies are very important considerations. I have a good friend who, for instance, worked in a call centre. He achieved record sales but was disciplined for not adhering strictly to a prescribed text!

'Who will take the initiative to begin this cultural shift?' Great question.

Karen Pitt

29/11/2024 04:00:58 pm

This is me, Nick.

Every morning, I step into the beige walls of the office, my heart heavy with the knowledge that my hands are tied. Yesterday, a desperate mother begged for emergency housing. Her child’s health was failing in the damp, cramped flat they called home. I wanted to help, I could help, but the form required three signatures, a council meeting, and two weeks of processing.

I watched her leave, tears in her eyes, clutching a leaflet I knew wouldn’t help. My chest ached with frustration; I joined this job to make a difference, not to drown in paperwork.

It feels like every choice I make must first wade through a swamp of procedures. I care deeply, but the system doesn’t. It’s suffocating to care so much and accomplish so little. Some days, I wonder if I’m part of the solution or just another cog in the machine.

30/11/2024 04:13:32 pm

Hi Karen and thank you for sharing from such deep personal experience. The example you shared sounds both heart-breaking and draining. I can only imagine how much energy it must take to persevere in those circumstances. I'm inspired to know we have people like you in our social sector. I hope you are paying attention to your own support needs too.

Mike Warren

29/11/2024 04:02:28 pm

Nick, you raise a profound question: how do organisations, especially those founded on values, lose their humanity so thoroughly? Is it the sheer scale of their operations or the pressure to maximise efficiency and minimise costs? I wonder if a solution lies in integrating more checks for humanity: more focus on one-on-one interaction, space for exceptions to rigid processes or even “humanity audits.” Have you encountered any organisations that are managing to avoid this trap?

30/11/2024 04:16:33 pm

Thank you, Mike. A 'human audit'. What an intriguing idea! Yes, I've had the privilege in working in and with organisations that take their values - and the living out of those values - very seriously. This case example of work I did with international non-governmental organisation, World Vision, may be of interest:

https://www.nick-wright.com/a-journey-towards-od.html

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