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Finding Satisfaction at Work

Written by: Jacque Small

Article Overview: Do you feel ho hum about your job? Maybe you are dissatisfied or feel undervalued. If you're not engaged at work, the impact is low morale and poor productivity. And that may prompt you to consider resigning, hoping to find more satisfaction and fulfillment in another position or with another company. If you're an employer, your staff may not be engaged - their enthusiasm is waning and you don't know how to turn the tide.

Finding Satisfaction at Work

As published in the South Delta Leader, January 25, 2008

Do you feel ho hum about your job? Maybe you are dissatisfied or feel undervalued. If you're not engaged at work, the impact is low morale and poor productivity. And that may prompt you to consider resigning, hoping to find more satisfaction and fulfillment in another position or with another company. If you're an employer, your staff may not be engaged - their enthusiasm is waning and you don't know how to turn the tide.

Here's the good news! Whether you're an employee or the employer, you can have more of what you want. As an employee, you can become more engaged and feel satisfied at work. As the employer, you can introduce changes that will engage your staff.

Habits. You can contribute to your own well being by having better habits that provide you with more energy. Much is written about getting physical exercise, eating healthy meals, sleeping seven hours a night and drinking two litres of water daily. Why? Because our brain functions better when it is rested and hydrated and our body feels better when it moves and is appropriately fed. The bottom line? You will have more energy to do what you love to do.

Are you an employer? I always recommend that a manager or business owner adopts the habit of meeting each employee on a monthly basis, targeting the conversation toward successes, challenges and where the person would like to receive support in fulfilling his or her work. It opens communication and can fuel positive new actions.

One of my clients, I'll call Tom, who manages a manufacturing company, struggled last year to find qualified people. Open to changing his style of management, he began meeting with employees on a regular basis, both in a group and one on one. It was a simple but profound change that boosted morale and increased productivity, dramatically altering the working environment. By the end of 2007, his team has almost doubled.

Employees, if that's not happening at your workplace, take the initiative and ask to meet your manager or supervisor on a regular basis. Tell them a success from last week and your focus for this week.

Attitudes. Our brain is structured to notice the gaps - what we don't have, not what we do have. When we learn to notice what is working and celebrate it with something as simple as a "high five," we signal to our brain that we want more of this and our brain will work toward noticing more positive, successful situations. Employees and employers can lead the celebration to heighten our sense of wellbeing. This attitude strategy has zero monetary costs and can make a huge difference in your work environment.

Vision. If you're like me, the world presents you with more options than your time allows. Therefore, it's important to articulate a vision of where you want to go and how to get there. By knowing your target and what you want to achieve, you can say No to activities that are not on the path to your target or not things you love to do.

Expression. As an employee, it's critical for you and your employer to communicate with each other about what you want and what is important to you. Work is a much more satisfying task when we know what is expected.

Employer, remember those monthly meetings with team members? Resolve to become a better listener this year. Enter those conversations with a sense of curiosity. When you are curious about the individual, you'll ask powerful questions. Your curiosity will lead you to insights and opportunities that will engage employees and solidify their commitment to the organization.

Habits. Attitude. Vision. Expression. Four simple but straightforward action steps that will help you have more of what you want at work this year.

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Article Tags: fulfillment, poor productivity, satisfaction



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