The Tech Edge: Job Crafting Reshapes Information Management

How do engaging tasks and creativity boost culture, trust, and team spirit?

Job crafting isn’t some new corporate buzzword — it’s actually been part of human existence. Redesigning tasks or activities to make them more meaningful can improve organizational culture. For example, the Fish! Philosophy aims to create happier workplaces with four central ideas: “play, be there, make their day, and choose your attitude.”

When I sat down with Sam Parker and David Robinson from the Information Management Team at the City of Greater Geelong, Australia, for an episode of The Tech Edge, I knew we would dive into something special. What I didn't expect was a shift in how I think about job crafting — and a whole new perspective on what employee engagement really looks like in the information management space.

Reshaping the Work for a Purpose

Think about it: Have you ever found yourself tweaking your approach on a mundane task to make it more interesting? That is job crafting in its purest form. One of Sam’s examples was when he was assigned to update the information asset register, which meant asking every department to “air their information management dirty laundry.”  

Sam could have approached it with a standard, dry presentation, but instead, he brought in one of his personal passions: marine aquariums. This is where storytelling becomes powerful. Sam shared, “I made a presentation on marine aquariums but linked in the values of the information asset register.”  People might not remember all the ins and outs of information management, but they will absolutely remember those beautiful aquarium colors and the stories that connected them to their work responsibilities.  

Storytelling is the best way to communicate as it gives people something to relate to: a shared experience that makes compliance feel less like a chore and more like a fulfilling journey. In Sam’s example, the results spoke for the project itself. They expected about 40% completion rate, as it happened at the worst possible timing for such an initiative — during a major organizational restructuring. Despite the timing, they achieved 80% completion for their creative approach in the information asset registry.  

The Key to More Engaged Employees  

David explained, “Information management teams find out about new processes or new systems six months, 12 months, or even more down the line.” But through job crafting, they’ve managed to get “a seat at the table to inject a bit of information management from the start.” This approach solves one of their biggest challenges: getting involved early in organizational processes.  

David shared his paper plane challenge that started as a simple team-building exercise but evolved into something that transformed their workplace culture. With Sam as the emcee and sneaking in information management messaging throughout the activity, the paper plane challenge quickly expanded into a floor-by-floor competition involving the whole organization. “We’re really talking about using play and fun activities to engage our employees and maybe getting them to change their behavior or learn some new concepts in information management,” David said.  

Instead of being the reactive team that deals with compliance issues after they arise, they’ve positioned themselves as creative problem-solvers who can add value from day one. These activities proved that the information management team does not need to wait around to improve workplace culture — they can step forward and lead it. When you add personalization to your work, you don’t just change how people perceive your tasks, you change how they perceive you and your entire function within the organization.

The Ripple Effect Driving Organizational Culture

One of the most encouraging aspects of their story was how leadership responded to their approach. The organization’s CEO even participated in the paper plane challenge, which speaks to a broader reality: executives are more eager than ever to engage meaningfully with their workforce.  

When teams like Sam and David demonstrate that work can be both fun and effective, it can pave the way for leadership to embrace a culture where people are relaxed and more likely to complete their work efficiently. Job fulfillment creates trust, builds engagement, and ultimately drives better outcomes.

Beyond individual job satisfaction, job crafting creates organizational connections that wouldn’t exist otherwise. People start to see information management professionals not as “dry basement dwelling” stereotypes, but as creative, engaged colleagues who happen to specialize in information governance.

Actionable Recommendations to Spice Up Information Management  

The reality is that information management, and many other business functions, will always have dry, compliance-heavy tasks. Before you hit send on another compliance-focused activity, pause and ask yourself: “Is there a different way I could approach this?” Here are some strategies to make those tasks more interesting and less of a chore:

• Start small and be genuine. Nobody loves compliance emails, so try something different and add creativity to routine tasks. The most important thing is to be yourself — authenticity resonates far more than forced corporate enthusiasm.
• Leverage personal passions. Whether it’s pets, sports teams, or hobbies, find ways to incorporate your interests into work presentations and communications. This shows your organization that you’re a whole person, not just your job description.
• Create platforms for leadership. Look for opportunities where your creative approaches can allow executives to show their fun side. This builds mutual respect and demonstrates that workplace culture change can come from anywhere in the organization.
• Focus on connection, not only completion. While task completion is important, the relationships and trust you build through job crafting often prove more valuable in the long term than any single project outcome.

When you bring creativity, personal passion, and genuine engagement to your work, you’re not just making your job more fulfilling — you’re redefining how your entire organization approaches culture, trust, and collaboration.

Are you ready to take that first creative step to make job crafting work in your organization?