Value

As I write this, I am looking at three handmade terracotta angels adorning the wall of my living room. I bought them last December from the Oxfam Shop, initially for Christmas decorations. The angels are individual and rustic. Their wings are fragile, and have had to be repaired, which is why I bought them for $6.  Not each, altogether. It's a ridiculous price, but the Oxfam shop couldn't shift them for more. They were a princely $12 before they were damaged in transit.

My angels have beautiful lines and character. They remind me of medieval angels. This reminds me of happy times on holiday abroad, poking around old castles. It all reminds me of the dignity of craft, which has no pretensions and does not require the support of mechanized perfection.

I value them far more than the measly price I paid for them (each angel is cheaper than a cup of coffee). Of all my possessions, the ones I value are not always the most expensive. Some are, some aren't.

In a business sense, I think we measure cost more than we measure value. Perhaps because its easier to quantify cost.  We know the cost of a particular project or initiative, but we don't consider its value. During moments of fiscal unease, many businesses call a halt to spending, without counting the negative costs of what doesn't get done. Or we spend money carelessly, doing tasks that are 'easy wins' because they're 'cheap' and we don't consider how little value they offer, or what we could achieve with the savings.

What value does your labour (physical or intellectual) contribute to your employer or business? Do you know?

This is post 25 of 43 posts.