“Career satisfaction comes from who you get to be while you’re doing what you do”.
According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, “9 out of 10 people are willing to earn less money to do more meaningful work“.
ARE YOU 9 OUT OF 10?
Close to 2,300 working Americans throughout different pay levels, demographics and company sizes, were surveyed to find out if purpose trumps a higher paycheck.
A mind-blowing 9 out of 10 agreed that meaning is more important than money.
They even said (on average) they’d be willing to forego 23% of their future lifetime earnings if it guaranteed a job that was always meaningful.
When asked at a conference, whether they’d prefer a boss who cared about them finding success and meaning in their work, or receiving a 20% pay increase, 80% of the respondents chose the caring boss.
When you get to make a difference, it makes you feel good about yourself.
And who doesn’t want that?
Even tedious or boring jobs can be fulfilling when you know you get to help people. That you made someone feel better or solved a problem for them.
Maybe you even saved the day.
That’s why it’s important that your work matters!
This is true for all kinds of jobs
Only you know what makes you happy.
Do you want to feel
- Smart?
- Powerful?
- Valuable?
- Helpful…?
Whatever it is for you, your job will have more meaning if you get to be your own superhero.
Whether you’re a cleaning lady or a CEO.
Everyone has an important job to do.
And if your company, colleagues, and customers let you feel that, you are very lucky.
EVEN EMPLOYERS WIN
The survey also found that we spend more time working per week and take fewer days of leave per year – when we do very meaningful work.
When you enjoy your job, when you think your contribution matters, you put in more effort.
Simple as that.
When you find your work highly meaningful, you are also 69% less likely to resign within the next six months.
How many co-workers, family or friends do you know, who always start their sentences with “if I’m still (working) here…”?
The survey shows that companies can keep talent more easily when they make sure their employees feel appreciated.
Unfortunately, the survey also found that only 1 out of 20 people believe that they are doing their most meaningful work.
Many companies don’t grasp that meaning is important.
They don’t spend much time and effort on getting everyone on board.
Which is why we tend to stick around when we’re lucky enough to be in a more aware environment.
WORK THAT MATTERS: THE THREE BRICKLAYERS
Have you heard the famous story of the three bricklayers?
You can find many mentions on the internet and it’s also on Youtube.
A traveler came upon three men working.
When he asked the first man what he was doing, the man said he was laying bricks.The traveler asked the second man the same question, who said he was putting up a wall.
When the traveler got to the third man and asked him what he was doing, the third man said he was building a cathedral.
ARE YOU BUILDING A CATHEDRAL YET?
When your work is meaningful to you it’s more motivating.
The numbers in the survey are impressive.
Who would have thought that 9 out of 10 people value meaning more than money?
It’s important to me that what I do matters.
I need to know that my skills make a difference and that I add value.
If anyone can do the job, then that’s not a job for me.
GENUINELY MEANINGFUL WORK
It’s important to genuinely include people, to show them that they are needed and that their work matters.
It’s not easy to replace people with loyalty and experience within the company, as well as excellent relationships with their co-workers.
Motivation and inspiration can’t just be found everywhere.
When you are lucky enough to have great people work for you or with you, you should appreciate them.
When employers add meaning to everybody’s jobs, involve them, and show them they care, everyone is much more willing to go the extra mile.
At the end of the day, most of us crave to do work that matters.
So who do you get to be?
Be a gladiator, a savior, an artist, a leader, a caretaker, a magician…!
Regards,
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