Why Are We Making Simple Things Overly Complicated?
- Johanna Karlström
- Feb 19
- 2 min read
I am currently in Thailand and have noticed something striking—family-run businesses here truly involve the whole family. In almost every restaurant, kids are running around, helping in small ways, and family members work together naturally. It’s a business style we rarely see in Western countries, where work and personal life are often kept strictly separate.
I remember experiencing something similar when I ran my own business, Konvaljbacken. My kids were with me in the paddock, playing with horse brushes and interacting with customers. It wasn’t disruptive—it added to the atmosphere. When I worked with a group of youths on group dynamics, I brought my kids along. Interestingly, the group had never collaborated so well as when they were jointly babysitting my children.
Of course, this model doesn’t work in every business. But it does make me wonder: why are we making simple things overly complicated? Are some of our rigid social rules around work actually counterproductive?
Unproductive Social Rules Making Simple Things Overly Complicated
The Strict Separation of Work and Personal LifeMany companies act as if personal life should be left at the door. But employees aren’t robots. They have families, hobbies, and challenges that don’t disappear during work hours. Instead of rigidly enforcing separation, what if businesses embraced more flexibility? In some cases, allowing employees to bring parts of their personal life into work—whether that’s kids, pets, or creative side projects—could create a more engaged and motivated workforce.
The Idea That Professionalism Means Being EmotionlessMany workplaces expect employees to suppress emotions in the name of professionalism. But emotions drive motivation, creativity, and teamwork. A work culture that allows for genuine human connection, rather than forcing a cold and distant attitude, often leads to better collaboration and stronger teams.
Meetings That Could Be EmailsSomehow, we’ve accepted that sitting through endless meetings is a necessary part of work. But are they really? Many discussions could be handled via a quick email or a message, allowing employees to focus on deep work instead of being constantly interrupted.
Rigid Job Descriptions That Limit GrowthWe assign people specific roles and often discourage them from stepping outside those boundaries. Yet some of the best innovations come from employees exploring tasks beyond their formal job descriptions. A workplace that encourages cross-functional learning is often more dynamic and adaptable.
Valuing Hours Over OutcomesMany businesses still measure productivity by how long someone sits at their desk rather than the results they produce. This creates a culture of presenteeism rather than effectiveness. Shouldn’t we be focusing on the quality of work rather than the number of hours clocked?
Rethinking Work for a More Balanced Future
Some of these rules are so ingrained in our culture that we rarely stop to question them. But what if we did? What if we reimagined work in a way that made sense for real human beings, rather than trying to fit people into outdated models?
Do you make room for your employees’ personal lives? How do you ensure that work and life complement each other rather than compete? It might be time to rethink the rules we take for granted.
