There is a thin line between an employee who wants to go the extra mile and one who feels they have to. In workplaces that celebrate passion, ownership and hustle, employees who take on more are often held up as examples of commitment. But could the celebration of passion inadvertently create a culture where doing more becomes the unspoken price of being seen as committed?
Passion can undoubtedly fuel innovation, resilience and exceptional performance. But it can also be overleveraged when organisations begin equating commitment with long hours, constant availability or an employee’s willingness to put work before personal boundaries.
So where should organisations draw the line? Should passion be something leaders actively cultivate, or is expecting it from employees inherently problematic?
Shillpa S Chabria, Vice President – People and Organisation, Asia Pacific, Webasto Group
Inspirational, but only when organisations create the conditions for it to thrive naturally.
The debate around passion at work is often framed as a choice between inspiration and exploitation. In reality, the answer depends on how organisations define and reward it.
Passion has always been a catalyst for breakthrough innovation, customer impact and business growth. Individuals who feel connected to a larger purpose are often more engaged, resilient and committed to delivering exceptional outcomes. Organisations benefit immensely when employees bring not only their skills but also their enthusiasm and creativity to work.
However, passion should never be mistaken for an obligation to sacrifice personal well-being.
The expectation that employees must consistently go above and beyond, blur the boundaries between work and life or measure their commitment by the number of hours they work creates an unhealthy precedent. When passion becomes a prerequisite for success rather than an outcome of a positive work environment, it can quickly turn from inspiration into pressure.
The most successful organisations of the future will not be those that demand passion. They will be those that create the conditions for passion to thrive. Employees deserve meaningful work, growth opportunities, psychological safety, flexibility and fair rewards. When these fundamentals are in place, commitment follows naturally. High performance and employee well-being are not competing priorities; they are mutually reinforcing.
Passion should be an outcome of a great workplace, not a requirement for belonging in one. The best organisations do not ask employees to choose between performance and well-being. They create the conditions where both can thrive.
Takeaway: Passion is most powerful when it is inspired, not imposed; organisations that create the right conditions will find commitment follows naturally.
Sharad Sharma, Chief Human Resources Officer & Ethics Officer, Pramerica Life Insurance
Inspirational, but only when leadership models it rather than mandates it.
Passion for work is primarily an inside-out phenomenon. Organisations cannot manufacture passion through policies, targets or programmes. It comes from within, when people care about what they do, take pride in their contribution and genuinely want to see the organisation succeed.
But passion does not exist in isolation. In a performance-oriented business such as life insurance, passion is reflected in ownership, agility, commitment to outcomes and the willingness to do what is right for the customer and the organisation rather than simply what is right for one’s own function. A business challenge may belong to one function, but the responsibility for solving it can often be collective.
That mindset, looking at the larger organisational objective rather than protecting functional boundaries, creates greater collaboration, faster problem-solving and a stronger sense of collective accountability.
At the same time, passion cannot simply be expected from employees. Leaders have an equally important role in fostering it through their own behaviour. People watch what leaders do far more closely than what organisations say. When leadership demonstrates ownership, collaboration, openness and urgency, those behaviours have a natural influence on the culture around them.
The risk arises when passion becomes a convenient label for continuously increasing expectations or when commitment is judged through a single lens. Passion should instead be about the energy, ownership and intent that people bring to achieving meaningful outcomes. It is not about extracting more from people; it is about creating an organisation where people want to contribute more because they feel connected to the purpose.
Takeaway: Passion becomes a genuine source of sustainable performance when it is built through leadership behaviour and collective culture, not mandated from the top.
Mitesh Nijhara, Head – HR, Yubi
Both, depending on how organisations manage it.
Passion is a powerful engine for fulfilment and professional growth. When an employee’s intrinsic motivation aligns with an organisation’s mission, work transforms from a routine obligation into a source of personal accomplishment and innovation. In a supportive environment, this energy naturally benefits both the individual and the business.
However, sustaining that positive momentum requires thoughtful leadership. Unchecked enthusiasm, if unmonitored, can lead to overextension. To prevent dedication from turning into burnout, organisations must ensure that high commitment is matched with structural support: clear role definitions, equitable resourcing, continuous recognition and explicit respect for personal time.
The focus must always be on sustainable engagement. Passion should be inspired and supported, never assumed or overleveraged. True leadership involves creating the conditions, through realistic goal setting, open communication and flexible working models, that allow people to bring their best selves to work without compromising their long-term well-being.
Passion for work is most effective when managed as a shared investment. When organisations treat dedication with empathy, fairness and reciprocal care, passion ceases to be a source of friction and becomes a lasting driver of both individual and organisational success.
Takeaway: Passion becomes exploitative when it is assumed; it becomes inspirational when it is supported by structures that protect both performance and well-being.