How To: Be Satisfied at Work - Signet Resources

Human Resources News - 18th April 2013

At school most of us were asked to write about what we wanted to be when we grew up. And whilst we may not be the ballerinas and astronauts our 6 year old selves dreamed of, it is still important to feel satisfied and fulfilled in the career choices we did in fact make.

Job satisfaction may not come naturally to everyone, but fortunately it is something that can be pro-actively worked on.  We’ve put together a handy flow chart with our top steps in creating your own satisfaction as work.

 

Determine your work type

Not every role we take on will be our ideal position. Rather than feel disheartened, identify what type of work it is and your basic motivations for doing it well.

a. Job –compensation tends to be the main driving force behind your motivation.

b. Career- progression within an industry or development of your skills drives you to perform.

c. Passion – your love of the work means everything – compensation and development come second.

 

Actively work on your own Satisfaction

As already mentioned, job satisfaction is something that can be worked on. Make sure to put some time aside to assess and work on each of these factors:

 

– Challenging yourself – Difficulty and enjoyment of challenges will vary between jobs but there are standard procedures you can carry out to make sure you feel stimulated in every role.

a. Set yourself goals

b. Keep learning – read up on your industry and what you can do to improve your skills

c. Ask your colleagues if you can help with tasks you have not done before and learn a new skill set

 

– Find your Purpose – You have been employed for a reason. You are needed in order for the business to run effectively and efficiently. This is important to remember on the days you feel unappreciated or underwhelmed.

 

– Stay positive – Whilst it may sound clichéd, attitude is such a key component in feeling happy and satisfied at work. Look for the positives: the tasks you enjoy, the people you work with and of course, your achievements. Try not to dwell on any negatives or setbacks for too long.

 

– Get the Balance Right – You are not necessarily defined by what you do, your life outside of work is just as important to keep active. Make time for friends and family to keep the work/life balance in check.

 

Be Realistic

If you truly feel unfulfilled by what you are doing then maybe it is time to look for the next step. On the other hand, don’t be rash about your work choices – are you really unappreciated or just having a bad day?

 

– Know your options – The choice to leave a job should only be made after and lot of time and objective thinking about yourself and your role. If you do want to move on, it’s best to know all your options. Update your CV, look for job opportunities and talk to recruiters – understand the market you will be putting yourself in before taking the plunge.

– Time to progress? – If you feel satisfied in what you’re doing and are performing well, it never hurts to think of the possibility of progressing. Would you enjoy taking the next step up or are you happy to stay in your own position?

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