Blog

Job Satisfaction - It’s up to you

We have all had times in our careers where we have felt that we may have chosen the wrong field of work.  The Industry you know you are passionate about almost doesn’t seem to be fulfilling you the way you’d hoped. You know you have the experience and qualifications to do the job, but the drive is gone. You are feeling embarrassed to communicate this with family and just the thought of climbing back on the job market is exhausting in itself.

Latest SA Statistics show that 73% of South Africans feel that Job Security is more important than Job Satisfaction.  What these stats show is that even if we are unhappy in our jobs we will stick it out for the financial safety of ourselves and our families. The bottom line is that somebody has to pay for this cover up, whether it is the organisation, its clients or indeed the employee.

This way of thinking does not pay, it’s a mindset that says “I’ll never be happy, so I might as well toughen up and remember that I’m here to pay the bills and put food on the table”. This state of mind can easily lead to phases of depression or helplessness and is only 10% of the true reflection of why we work.

We work to offer our skills to the community, to find satisfaction in fulfilling our purpose. To drive with determination our vision, our dreams and goals in order to see positive change in the world around us. To uplift our sectors and enrich our lives with passion for our talents. To arrive home after a long day with a plan a new idea for the next day about to dawn.

We forget so easily the hurdles we climbed when we were young and daring. We walk past our certificates in the hallway without a second glance to reminisce on how we achieved them. We face a mountain and we forget the breathtaking sunrise glistening into the river behind us.

The answers to satisfaction in your job or business lie on the inside of you. Arise today and take off the old self, be grateful for where you are and everything you have achieved. Write down a new vision for yourself, plan by setting realistic short and long term goals. Sit together with your family and suggest they do the same and then draw up a mission statement. Remember to keep everything positive and uplifting and then watch yourself and your loved one’s blossom. Families play a vital role in your career choices as they will be affected by everything that you go through at the workplace in one way or another.

If after you have followed these guidelines and are still feeling unsure of how to remain satisfied in your career, speak to a career coach or mentor who could guide you step by step to success in this area. Sometimes change is necessary, it may not be looking for another job – it may be changing the order of your day, trying a different style of communication instead of email or even implementing a fresh new idea.  This attitude is infectious and before you know it the entire office will want what you have.

Take advantage of the benefits offered to you by your organisation but do not expect them to be solely responsible for your satisfaction, its up to you.