Publication number: ELQ-18774-1
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How to Enjoy Work & Enhance Your Career
As a business advisor, one of the most frustrating things I see is the number of employees who are unhappy at work.
Introduction
As a business advisor, one of the most frustrating things I see is the number of employees who are unhappy at work. Business owners don’t like it, the new generations think promotions will solve it, and productivity levels continue to suffer. According to the polls, only 32 percent of workers are engaged, and the rest spend much of their time wishing they were somewhere else.
Based on my own career with small companies as well as large ones, I assure you that it’s a lot more satisfying for everyone, as well as productive, working in a happy business environment. According to other surveys, there are many leading companies, including Google, Zappos, and Southwest Airlines, where happy and engaged employees are the norm, not the exception.
In my view, too many people put the total problem and the solution on the company to keep employees happy, when in fact it takes an equal commitment from both sides. Yes, companies have to enable a culture of purpose, employee value, positive feedback, and the tools to do the work, but people have to take ownership of their own life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
For me, ownership of the challenge meant developing and honing a set of personal habits that fostered a sense of learning, challenge, and accomplishment, rather than boredom, fear, and negativity. Here are some key recommendations that I espouse:
- Step n°1 |
Make a habit of initiating a real relationship with peers.
It’s hard to stay positive and happy working with people you don’t really know. As an introvert, I initially found it to be difficult to approach new people, but I found it much easier in a work environment, where we had many common subjects. Getting to know the managers also helped engagement.
- Step n°2 |
Take satisfaction from a couple of simple wins every day.
We’ve all hit some tough roadblocks, but don’t ignore the cases where you finished a task ahead of time, the right answer just popped into your head, or your idea made someone else’s day. Make it a habit to tally these up at the end of a day, and share your small successes with a friend.
