Labor Day weekend is upon us. Undoubtedly, many of us will celebrate with friends or family, and the smell of grilled food will waft through the air along with the sounds of college football. We’ll overindulge in food (and some of us in drink) and wonder aloud how the heck the summer can possibly be over already.

It’s a great time to take at least a couple seconds and think about labor, about work. If we’re not careful, we can almost begin to think of work as a drudgery, a necessary evil, a curse.

But it’s not. And if you’re a leader, it’s up to you to figure out ways to help your team, especially folks you perceive to be disengaged, understand that it’s not any of those things–it’s a privilege, a responsibility, and something that matters.

So take some time today and over the weekend and reflect. Think about the nobility of work. Leaders, keep working to know your colleagues in meaningful ways and build legit trust. Help them understand how their work matters, and to whom it matters. And be sure they understand what success–whether big or small–looks like on your team. 

Your teammates’ work matters, and so does yours.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!