In the last post which you can check out here, we looked at the 5 top factors which have an impact on your job satisfaction. Why? Because, before you leave any job, despite how much you might hate it, or how fed up you might feel, one of the first things you need to do is get clear on exactly where the issues lie and as part of that process, it’s worth knowing where to look out for trouble.
So, to continue… lets dive straight in (And if you haven’t read the last post, you definitely should because it’s so worth the read and you don’t want to miss out!)
Opportunity to Learn & Develop
Lack of career development and progression opportunity is a common reason why people leave their jobs.
Like variety and autonomy, we have a need to learn, develop and fulfil our potential according to the Theory of Self Actualisation. Therefore, being in a job that gives you the opportunity to do this will be much moe satisfying than being in a job that doesn’t.
It’s important to consider how much opportunity to develop and learn your job offers, not just formerly through industry based qualifications for example, but on the job and personally.
Tip: When it comes to learning new skills and developing yourself, its important to understand that it’s an investment in you that the company will make. When asking to take courses and qualifications, remember to think about what the benefit will be to the business and how it will impact your role or others for the better.
Job security
Regardless of how you might feel about your job, one thing that you definitely want is to feel secure in it. In other words, you want to know that your job will be there for you tomorrow, next month or in a years time. Basically, for as long as you might want it, which unfortunately isn’t always the case.
The need for security is a basic human need and when your job is threatened, not only does your job satisfaction decrease, you also find it difficult to focus on your work, worrying about what will happen and when, your performance suffers and your stress levels increase. It’s no wonder we all want to know that any company we join is performing well and stands to be around for years to come.
Tip: They say you should prepare for the worst, which can be easier said than done. When things are up in the air it seriously sucks. If you’re finding it hard to focus on our job, setting your own dates and timeframes for taking action can make a real difference and can give you at least a small feeling of control at a time when you feel you have none. Make a decision to get your head down and to think about what will happen until this date, then decide what action you will take at this point.
Reward and recognition
Everyone likes to feel appreciated. Not only that, we all need it. When someone shows you appreciation, you feel valued and that what you do matters, which is one of the most important things.
According to a study conducted by Towers Watson, one of the biggest drivers when it comes to engagement is whether or not employees feel that their managers are genuinely interested in their wellbeing and giving recognition and showing appreciation directly feeds into our feelings of wellbeing. (Harvard Business Review).
To add to this, according to the research has found that among high-performing teams, the expression of positive feedback outweighs that of negative feedback by a ratio of 5.6 to 1. By contrast, low-performing teams have a ratio of .36 to 1.(Harvard Business Review)
Tip: They say we show people how we want them to treat us. If you haven’t been feeling much love lately and there’s a lack of appreciation at the office, perhaps try and be the fist to introduce this critical factor by showing your appreciation for your colleagues and your boss, as often as possible. Hopefully, it takes, and if not, being good to others has the effect of making us feel better in the process. If whatever you put out comes back to you ten fold, it’s only a matter of time.
Relationship with your manager
As well as the relationships with your peers, which has a major impact on job satisfaction, the relationship with your boss also makes a difference, although not to the same degree.
It has previously been said that people don’t leave companies, they leave bosses and while this is still true, research has revealed that people also love good bosses, because while a bad boss will have you running for the hills, a good boss will train and develop you, making you highly desirable and sought after in any job market, result! More on this here.
That being said, building a good relationship with your boss may have a positive knock on effect in other areas such as autonomy leading to further increased job satisfaction so the relationship is one that’s definitely worth working on.
Tip: If your relationship with your boss isn’t working, there are definitely many things you can do to improve matters before throwing in the towel (find out more here) Remember the old saying, better the devil you know. Try and improve things where possible, because even if you do decide to move on, it’s always best to do so on good terms.
Compensation
Few of us would say no to more cash money, and studies have found that when it comes to pay what we want is to be paid equally, fairly and for there to be more transparency about compensation.
While you’re definitely likely to consider leaving for a bigger pay packet, you’re more than likely to consider a range of factors and other things may be more important to you, such as having a great environment or having good relationships.
In short, while getting paid well is important to us it isn’t the biggest predictor of job satisfaction as it may have once been thought and this has been proven in a number of industries such as healthcare where many people have reported having high levels of job satisfaction, despite their pay, read more on this here.
Tip: One thing which many people struggle with is discussing pay. But before you make a run for it based on how you feel about your pay, try and do your research – you can use resources such as payscale.com, as well as looking at job advertisements and speaking to recruiters ( with caution!). It’s also critical to consider your own performance in role, what you have taken on and what you might be prepared to take on.
There you have it, the 10 things that have a major impact on how you feel about your job. How does your job satisfaction stack up and what’s most important to you?
