Most people are part of the workforce for many years of their lives and many spend decades working for at least one company. Often, individuals settle for careers that pay well and offer attractive benefit packages but are not associated with things that truly excite them. Meanwhile, some lucky people discover jobs that not only meet their financial needs but appeal to their interests as well.
Do you groan and feel a sense of dread as soon as your alarm sounds to wake you up for a day at work? If so, a 2017 Gallup poll says you’re in the majority. More specifically, it polled global members of the workforce and found only 15 percent reported being engaged at work. That likely means many of the rest of the population merely feel like they’re going through the motions with tasks that don’t seem to matter.
But if you’re in a job that fits with the things you care about the most, the chances are higher that you’ll view going to work as a pleasure. You’ll also probably feel that the work supports who you are as a person.
Maybe you only put forth enough effort at work to get the tasks done on time, but don’t bother trying to excel. If so, maybe your employer isn’t doing enough to make people feel proud at work. When individuals take pride in their work, they often feel encouraged to do the best they can with even the simplest tasks. Then, the overall quality of output goes up through all departments.
But, if your job doesn’t align with your passions, you may find it hard to stay motivated. Work tasks become more of a chore than something you give your all to. In contrast, when you take pride in your work your efforts and drive benefit the company as well as your personal feeling of accomplishment.
There are numerous businesses and corporations that focus on community service. They organize opportunities for employees to give back to society in addition to fulfilling work requirements. These service experiences add value to the overall employee connection and unite the company in a larger way.
For example, End Zone Athletics is a company that works with high school teams, coaches and parents. If you were exploring the company’s purpose more deeply during a job search, you would find that working there would be a great way to be involved with the local schools and community organizations that support high school sports.
If you cherished your memories of high school and felt real passion for those years you would likely be a great asset to a company like End Zone Athletics Inc.or similar organizations. If you had a difficult time in school and remember struggling with studying for tests you might be the best tutor around because you know what it feels like to struggle. You could turn your frustrations from childhood into a drive to help youth in your town.
Another great thing about working at a company that strives to connect with things you’re interested in is that you’ll probably be around like-minded people. That could make it easier to attend social events that happen outside of work. Working shouldn’t primarily be about having a better social life, but socialization can help you feel more content while you’re on the clock by giving you things to look forward to after hours.
Whether you’re working for a company now and are ready for a career change or you are actively looking for work, keep these things in mind. You may find it’s worthwhile to take a job that pays less but incorporates positive things outside of the day to day grind versus accepting a higher-paying position that does not have the same opportunities for personal growth.
You must be logged in to post a comment.