The rarest resource

While resources are scarce in the world, one valuable resource that has been as rare as a hen's tooth, overlooked and undervalued is not oil or rare earth elements, it is recognition and appreciation. Most people are not starving merely for an incentive measured in currency or bonuses in their accounts, but credit for their contributions, not only money but meaning, not only a raise but also a reason. Even though it is immaterial and does not have a price tag, it is withheld as if it costs a fortune.

In Abraham Maslow's pyramid of 'Hierarchy of Needs', after the physiological and safety needs, humans require belonging, self-esteem, which then leads to self-actualisation. Therefore, it is not optional; it is oxygen. However, denying it is pervasive, not only common but commonplace, a pattern embedded in regular interactions, and woven into daily life rather than being a mere quirk of overthinking.

As reported by Workhuman and Gallup in 2024, in the United States, 45% of employees who are recognised are likely to retain their jobs. In Pakistan, there are several such individual studies, but a paucity of national-level research. This lays bare how this culture is normalised and appears across cultures, taking on forms that fit the context. In parts of the Eastern hemisphere, recognition is wrapped in humility, such as Japan calls for 'not standing out', and China cautions to 'stay humble'.

In South Asia, it is brushed under the label of 'it is your duty', and in the United States, the value of someone's work hinges upon the next achievement. This shared façade conceals psychological poverty, where people give what they can, yet remain invisible. This notion of recognition was introduced into political thought by Hegel and later diffused under the sobriquet of 'politics of universalism', the idea of equality of all. In layperson's lexicon, it is understood as 'first-class and second-class citizens'.

Denunciation of recognition in politics breeds friction between the core and the periphery as well as conflicts. Elsewhere, the damage sinks in silently; stress, social disengagement, nihilism, stoic shut down. Or echoing Karl Marx's murmur of a space split between 'haves and have nots', men versus women in patriarchies, white versus black in racialised structures, or the golden clubs versus the 9-to-5 toilers.

As Charles Taylor states, misrecognition or non-recognition is a form of oppression; it internalises feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem, an internalised, distorted image of oneself that is accepted as the truth of one's identity. In organisations, the constant demand to do more with little regard for what has already been accomplished strangulates and suppresses the desire to improve or maintain past benchmarks. The corollary is that the work is reduced to 'detail to duty', a matter of just checking the task boxes.

Another neglected impact is the exodus of resignations, which are either taken as a routine practice or associated with someone's lack of professionalism. Yet, in many organisations, the quiet culprit, lurking in the shadows, is the lack of recognition. In the best-case scenario, if this scarce resource is bestowed upon someone, it depends heavily on hierarchy.

Across this terrain defined by denial, to ask for recognition is to risk instant labels: over-thinker, attention-hungry, a dreamer or one who expects too much for doing what everybody else does. However, what stands out is the clash of generational views on recognition. This cultural posture appears to be rejected by the Zoomers, the Gen Z, who are endlessly criticised for seeking instant gratification, micro-recognition and immediate feedback.

Seeking meaningful work is maybe what unsettles and challenges these outdated norms. Their hunger for feedback, meaning, a sense of belonging, validation and significance is a silent rebellion to the culture that sees their work but not their presence.

Recognition brings many benefits; it can boost someone's morale, increase their productivity, foster confidence in their lives and even transform the organisational trajectory. Recognition laced with the right words at the right time can change a life story, taking people from the ditches of doubts and invisibility to the gleam of grandeur.