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Are you as
satisfied with the work you do today as you were a year ago? Do you have fun
doing your job? Do you work in a creative environment where coworkers trust and
nurture one another? Are you proud of the work you do, and the products or
services your company sells? Does your employer put the customer ahead of all
else? If you're looking for a job, will you settle for less than a job that
brings you joy?
As contrary as it
may seem, most people in the U.S. workforce have some choice in what they do for
a living and where they work. That means most workers can hold out for a job
with some degree of intangible benefits such as personal fulfillment, positive
corporate culture, and meaning.
But how do you
negotiate for meaning?
Although there's no
way to guarantee yourself meaningful work, here are a few guiding principles to
help find and sustain intangible rewards.
- Find a job in the
field that interests you most
- Find a good
fit
- Contribute to the
corporate culture
- Take
responsibility for your own fulfillment
- Stay engaged even
in hard times
| Job
description |
| Position of
significant responsibility in a collegial atmosphere where hard work and
kindness toward others are rewarded. This position reports to a strong,
principled leader. Responsibilities include caring for customers, delivering a
quality product, and exhibiting fiscal prudence. Team skills, strong ethics, and
common courtesy required; knowledge of advanced business etiquette a plus.
Requirements: personal integrity and respect for difference. Must be willing to
have fun. |
Find a job in
the field that interests you most
Reflect on the type of work you are
doing. Do you pick up trade publications when you get home at night? Conversely,
did you fall into your career by accident as if into a black hole, and now it's
hard to escape its gravitational pull? When people who know you find out what
you do for a living, are they surprised or do they say, "That seems just like
you"?
Test your
interest. One way to determine whether you're in the right field is to read
the Help Wanted section of your Sunday newspaper with a red pen in hand. Circle
all the job descriptions that appeal to you, regardless of whether you have the
qualifications to do them. Do you put circles around jobs like yours? Or do you
avoid them? Do you consistently put circles around one or two types of jobs? Can
you see yourself doing those jobs?
If you are not
doing the right type of work, it will be difficult or impossible to find
meaning, personal fulfillment, and other intangible benefits in your
job.
Find a good
fit
In addition to the physical characteristics of the organization
(company size, industry, stage of growth, location, commute), think about the
type of environment in which you thrive. Is it chaotic, or highly organized?
Would you rather work by yourself, or in teams? Are you more process- or
results-oriented? More expressive and creative or more businesslike and
no-nonsense? Where do you prefer to be on the spectrum of consensus decision
making versus command-and-control?
Also consider the
organization's values - stated and actual - and its reward and recognition
systems. What types of contributions are encouraged and rewarded? Is the
employer buying what you have to sell?
Test your
fit. You can tell you're in the right type of company if you eagerly discuss
work at cocktail parties, you've developed strong rapport with your colleagues,
you feel appreciated, and people look to you for your take on the company's
progress. You may not be in the right environment if you feel like an unwelcome
misfit, you're consistently grumpy, and you rarely want to talk about
work.
If you feel like a
fish out of water, try to move do a different part of the organization where
your work can have a greater impact. If this doesn't work, it may be time to
move on.
Contribute to
the corporate culture
You are part of the corporate culture, so it is
within your responsibility to help shape it. Welcome newcomers. Revel in your
coworkers' idiosyncrasies. Celebrate the completion of a project. Surprise your
colleagues by bringing in a dozen doughnuts, or remembering important
days.
Test your clout.
You can tell whether you're adding to corporate culture or taking away from
it, by the types of interactions you've been having at work. When was the last
time you patted someone on the back for a job well done? Do you frequently
complain about the company, or are you more often an internal cheerleader? Do
coworkers seek out your advice, or are they more likely to console you about
something?
If you are putting
constructive energy into the organization, it should be coming back to reward
you in ways that are hard to measure. If your energy just seems to dissipate, or
if it's turning negative, take it as a warning sign.
Take
responsibility for your own fulfillment
Intangible benefits can't be
quantified and handed over in a pay envelope - they're intangible, remember? And
you have to help create them. Act, within your sphere of responsibility, to help
keep your work environment constructive. If the workload seems overwhelming -
for example, if you've been asked to take on a few of someone else's
responsibilities - break it down into smaller, achievable tasks you can feel
good about each day.
Test your
commitment. If your performance is strong, are you proud of the results, or
are you just going through the motions? If your performance isn't strong, what
are the reasons?
Your commitment to
your job and your employer should be evident in the way you approach your work.
If you've been unmotivated, ask yourself whether there are any changes you can
make within your current position. Otherwise, consider making a bigger
change.
Stay engaged,
even in tough times
It can be tempting to put some distance between
yourself and your employer if you face difficult circumstances. The last year
has been full of uncertainty in the workplace, as many people have either lost
their jobs or lived with the fear of unemployment. Corporate scandals and
leadership crises have reduced confidence in businesses and called for universal
introspection. But there's a difference between soul-searching and
disconnection.
Test your
presence. Do you know what your coworkers are working on? Have you asked
them about their work recently? Do you have lunch with a coworker at least once
a week? Who initiates? Are you as accessible to colleagues as you would like to
be, or as you used to be?
Difficult times
call for leadership, not retrenchment. Whatever your position in the
organization, you can take the lead in building a healthy culture by modeling
integrity, commitment, and other values that are a reward in
themselves.
-
Johanna Schlegel, Editor-in-Chief
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