“When work is a pleasure, life is joy! When work is a duty, life is slavery.” ~ Maxim Gorky
No matter which survey you look at, overall employee disengagement at work still remains frighteningly low.
Which means that the percentage of employees who have loudly quit, quietly quit, disillusioned, and disengaged continues to negatively impact the bottom line of a lot of companies.
Yes, I know, we have heard this statistic about employee disengagement, ad nauseum for years. But, just like the “communication issue” that we have been talking about for decades, you know the one I am talking about: what’s the biggest challenge facing your organization? Communication is the answer 80% of the time, it continues to linger like a dark cloud over your company’s parade.
The Paradox…
It is a well-known fact that employee engagement and job satisfaction are directly linked to profitability.
So you would think that most leaders in an organization would make this a priority to resolve. And yet, the reason most people leave an organization is because of their manager. Can you see the paradox here?
The employee says, “I am disengaged or leaving because of my leader, ” and the leadership of the company is at the root cause of a large percentage of employee disengagement.
The problem is that most leaders fail to see themselves as the problem.
The Truth …
If you don’t like your job, it is NOT the responsibility of your boss, your company, or anyone else to make you happy, it is up to you!
The fact that we have been spinning in this issue for years, that should tell you that unless you take responsibility for your happiness at work, no one else is going to step in and rescue you!
You can also apply this principle to pretty much every aspect of your life, your marriage, your relationships, etc.
The Choices…
The way I see it, if you don’t love what you for a living, you have 3 options:
- You could quit and find a position that is better suited for you, your values, and your needs. Just know if you or your attitude is the problem, you will have the same issues at the next place, only squared.
- You could stay put stay where you are and keep focusing on what you don’t like, what’s wrong, and what other folks should be doing so you can be happier at work.
- You could shift your perspective and what you believe about your work.
The Actions…
Below is a list of 7 actions you can take to improve your happiness level @ work:
- Focus on what works and what is good about your job.
- Make a list of all the things you are able to buy with your paycheck for you and your family.
- List all the reasons you’re a good fit for this job.
- When you are at work, work! When you are at home, be home and focus on your family, friends, and the other things that make you happy.
- Answer this question: If I was giving a 110% effort at work what would I be doing.. and then do it!
- Set a target productivity level, a sales goal, or a promotion, and then focus all of your energy on achieving that target.
- Set a realistic time frame to accomplish your target. And when you hit them, one of 3 things will happen:
- You will be rewarded for your achievements.
- You will be happier simply because you were more focused and more productive.
- You will be crystal clear that you need find a position and a company that works better for you.
If you have already tried these actions and nothing has changed, it may simply be time to leave and find a position and work that you L – O – V – E !
The Summary…
When it is all said and done, no one else is responsible for your happiness at work or in life BUT YOU!
Unfortunately, we have become a society that fails to empower ourselves, because we fail to accept 100% responsibility for ourselves and our lives and instead blame others for our unhappiness or perceived misfortunes.
No one is coming to rescue you because the truth is: You hold the key to your happiness, wherever you are!
In the end, the decision to love what you do is up to you, I hope you choose wisely and choose often.
P.S. If you or your leaders need to learn how to be more effective, please contact us here: I need a little help or just start by: Reading this!
