Determining factors
for your job satisfaction
There is a connection between having meaningful work and the level of job satisfaction you experience. This connection is stronger than most people think. When you ask which factors are decisive for their job satisfaction, we arrive at this top ten list (in random order). Which ones stand out to you? And do you find them in your current job?
Top 10 factors for job satisfaction
- Being able to use your strengths
- Being able to decide how your workday looks
- Diverse tasks within a certain structure
- Sufficient challenge in your work
- Nice colleagues, good social contact
- A salary that makes you happy
- A safe and pleasant work environment
- A good relationship with your manager(s)
- Opportunities for development and future prospects
- A pleasant company culture
And 2 additional important factors
Two major factors are still missing from the list above, namely:
- Having the feeling that you do meaningful work
- Working for a company that contributes to a better world
The extent to which you value the work you do is highly dependent on these last two factors. And that completes the circle. Because when you experience more satisfaction from doing meaningful work, you dedicate yourself more, you perform better, contribute more to the company, the company contributes more to the world, and you receive even more satisfaction and happiness at work.
Four tips if you dare!
Before you apply to a company that fights plastic waste or helps refugees survive, it’s wise to take a moment to reflect on your ambition and your possibilities. Contributing to a better world is a relative concept. A baker also contributes in their own way, as does a garbage collector or a nurse. It’s about the conscious choice you make. If you’re a computer expert, you can help secure the digital world, or you can become a hacker. Even if it sometimes feels like there is ‘no choice’: there is always a choice.
Sometimes this means you need to change direction, require a different education, or break out of a fixed pattern or routine. It’s not always easy, but it is possible. For those who dare, we have a few more tips.
1. Try to judge less in terms of 'right' and 'wrong'
Some tasks are just less pleasant and some jobs are less fun, but maybe very meaningful. Keep things in perspective, without trivializing problems.
In line with this: develop a certain discipline. Especially for the tasks that are a bit less popular, it can help to make them a routine and focus on the end result, something you can be proud of once it’s done.
2. What gives you energy?
This creates a common thread of elements that make you happy. If you can combine these in a (new) job, you have solved the puzzle. If you need the help of a career test or a coach, use them.
3. Be assertive, not aggressive
Communicate clearly which direction you want to go and why. Choose a course and adjust it when necessary. Maybe this will lead you to a new job, but then it is a conscious choice. Your job satisfaction is part of your overall happiness. The same applies here: learn to put things into perspective and see things in the right proportion. Listen to your body, get your sleep, don’t overwork yourself and avoid too much stress. NB: A healthy lifestyle goes hand in hand with a healthy work style.
4. Live in the now
So don’t sit around passively waiting for the big change, or for that dubious promotion to another position. If you feel that you’re unhappy now, for example with a bullshit job, it’s okay to take action now. Be positive and don’t forget to enjoy the big things as well as the small, even at work. You can choose to get more enjoyment out of your work, or to find more meaning in your tasks.
Need help on your quest for more job satisfaction? Make an appointment with one of our career advisors. They are happy to help you think things through.
Source: The Optimist
