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30th September 2014
How to NOT Hate Work?
Work; sometimes we can’t stand it, but we can never live without it. Everyone strives to find that perfect job in life which doesn’t even feel like work, but unless you’re Walt Disney that can be a bit tough to come by. Many of the people in today’s workforce feel unappreciated, unimportant, and unfocused while they’re at their job. So, what can a person do to find purpose, happiness, and contentment in the workplace?
Employee engagement seems to be at an all-time low these days, with only 13 percent of employee’s worldwide saying that they feel truly engaged at work according to a recent survey. The best way to counter this incredibly low level of engagement is to start understanding and satisfying employee’s needs and desires. Studies have shown that when workers physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs are met, their productivity sky-rockets. There are various ways to meet these needs, and they all require effective leadership.
When managers get caught up in their company’s short term goals, they often forget the organisations overall mission. This in turn makes employees forget what they’re ultimately supposed to be working towards, and all motivation to work hard goes right out the window. Mid-level managers can’t be like dictators to their employees by just barking orders at them. They should be more like team-mates if anything, working alongside employees to create a happy, laid-back, but effective work environment. This structural change will undoubtedly make workers feel a sense of purpose, give them something to feel motivated about, and bring more revenue to the company as well.
If you are unhappy with your current job it’s never a bad idea to simply discuss it with your manager. There could always be ways to improve your situation that you may not have thought about. Hopefully the reason your manager was appointed to that position in the first place is because they like to help people when they are faced with a dilemma. Managers don’t want to fire employees or have people quitting on them because all that does is create the need for more workers. New workers need to go through training processes etc, which will certainly hinder the company at least in the short-run. This makes the worker a valuable asset to the company as a whole, so the company should be willing to do whatever they can to keep their current staff on board.
Work doesn’t have to be an unpleasant experience for anyone. While you may want your organisation to give you more benefits, you can bring something to the table for them as well. Perhaps a bit of a change in attitude or some self-adjusting could be in order. Bringing a positive mind set to work will be contagious for your co-workers, both those in positions below you and those in positions above you. A happy work place makes for a productive organisation. So c’mon, get happy!