Still Finding Meaning in Your Job 5 Tips to Pursue Your Happiness
“Are you happy at work?”
“Are you still finding meaning in your job?”
“Have you ever thought about pursuing a career elsewhere?”
Have you ever heard these questions asked to you? Or have you come to the point where you face a mirror and ask these questions to yourself? You should know that it is common to reach this stage and start thinking if you are still making the right decisions for your career.
However, the best response is to become proactive amid all this personal quizzing. What triggered such questions, and what can you do to create solutions? Was there an incident that affected how you feel about your work? Or is this an overall feeling that pursuing happiness in the workplace is already futile? This is highly possible, especially if you have realised that the usual work advantages of money and title are no longer enough.
These days, more and more people are figuring out that finding meaning in your job cannot be limited to receiving bonuses, being promoted to managerial positions, or accepting any form of instant gratification. People want meaning rooted in the purpose of what they are doing: How much is it affecting my community? How much impact is it creating in society? Happiness is now connected to answers to these real and tangible questions. It is felt not only by you but also by those around you.
Finding meaning in your job in the middle of the Great Resignation
At the forefront of this pursuit is a generation that is only recently gaining proper footing. Born from 1997 to 2012, Generation Z is yearning for passion and purpose in the jobs they plan to take. This is, of course, a generation that is only starting their careers. They have just graduated from university or are going through their first round of job applications. All this, in the middle of a pandemic.
Gen Z is also leading the pack in what experts have dubbed the Great Resignation. This phenomenon is described as a major movement among numerous employees, not only by Gen Zers, to leave their jobs and find opportunities elsewhere. The common cause of this mass exodus? Employees feel burnout from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the WFH situation, as well as the ever-changing economic and political global situation.
Employees will not hesitate to quit and leave if companies cannot cater to the solutions they seek — or worse, if they do not share the same values. In Malaysia alone, surveys have shown that more than 50-percent of employees plan on finding new jobs in the coming months.
Are you one of those? Or are you still considering your options, especially in terms of pursuing happiness in the workplace? Read on for more tips!
How to know if you are happy at work
Of course, a pay rise, a bonus structure, and awards will make you happy at work. But once you have already received them and shared the good news with the people around you, this sort of happiness can be fleeting. That money? It can be all gone the next day. That title? It can be taken from you in a snap. This is not sustainable happiness.
The happiness that you should be striving for is rooted in finding a job with purpose and doing meaningful work. It boils down to your passion. Does the job you do ignite your passions? If yes, the happiness you are searching for is not hard to come by.
Here are other telltale signs that you are happy at work:
Your job is part of your personality.
You are your job, and you carry that with you wherever you go with much pride. You do not hesitate to tell people what you do and what you have accomplished. Your brand is readily identifiable to your job.
You wake up excited to work.
Especially on Mondays! For some, the start of the workweek only brings them the blues. But if you are truly happy at work, you do not hesitate to get revved up for the tasks ahead. You might not even need an alarm clock to get you out of bed.
You don’t hear yourself making excuses and giving complaints.
Disgruntled employees will make excuses to skip on a task assigned to them. Worse is if they give out complaints not only about their job but also about their peers. But for a happy worker, excuses and complaints are out of the picture.
You enjoy the company of peers.
A big part of working is collaborating with other people. And if you like the people you work with, it helps to keep you happy and satisfied doing your job. A disorganised team will only bring you down and keep you worried. An A-team, however, will keep you inspired.
You feel a sense of fulfilment.
When you are at work, you do not watch time pass by just to clock out as soon as you can. You do not mind offering a few extra hours of your day to finish a task. As long as it is reasonable, you do not mind taking on additional responsibilities. All these because you know that there is value in your work. At the end of the day, you feel tired, but it is worth it.
The connection between happiness and productivity in the workplace
Another way to decipher if you are still finding meaning in your job is by assessing your level of productivity. Yes, happiness and productivity in the workplace are interconnected.
According to research by the University of Warwick, happiness makes people more productive. This has led companies like Google to invest in their employees’ satisfaction and happiness quotient. The happier people are, the more effective the company will be. So if you notice that you are no longer turning in quality output or are missing deadlines, consider that you are not happy anymore. And this may mean it is time to seek other opportunities.
Pursuing happiness in the workplace: 5 tips for employees
Knowing about the signs and symptoms of being happy in the workplace, you can better decide if it is time to find meaning somewhere else and be part of the Great Resignation. Are you happy at work? If your answer is a clear no, then it is time to take a bold step and make a change.
Hear it from individuals who have gone through the same and have succeeded in making the big leap. Consider their passion stories. Find happiness in the workplace tips that you can apply to your situation.
1. Don’t let fear hinder you
“At some point, I felt like I was stuck at the same level; not progressing, not doing what I wanted to do,” said 26-year-old Najihah Rauf of her previous job that felt like a dead end. But she did not allow that situation to stop her from her tracks. She conquered her fears, despite them being overwhelming and stressful, and is now a fashion graphic designer at an e-commerce company.
“I always remember what Bill Gates said, ‘It’s fine to celebrate success but more importantly, learn from mistakes. That’s why I never felt scared about failing, because I believe when we give our best, it will lead to greater success.”
2. Refocus your mindset
Teach your mind to track what is good for you and to stay away from negativities that will deter you from succeeding. You may have already gone through an extended period of distress, and it is already time to reset your focus on what is best for you. What will allow you to grow? What will make you reach the meaning you are looking for?
Najihah suggests: “Breathe, recompose yourself, and keep things simple. More importantly, remove all negativity and set your priorities right!”
3. Let your passion (not money) guide you
Radin Amir Affendy hopped from a bank to a publishing company until the right opportunity came his way. There was a competition to be a radio deejay, which he eventually won. His current job then offered him the same amount he was supposed to get from the radio deejay stint to make him stay.
“But I felt like trying out something new. I believe in myself and taking challenges and risks.” He knew then that he could rely on one thing when making crucial life decisions — his passion. “Money is not everything. You might earn a big salary, but if you’re not happy, what good does it bring?”
“Work requires passion. When there’s passion, there’ll surely be a way.”
4. Leave your comfort zone behind
Stepping out of one’s comfort zone can be very nerve-wracking. The uncertainties do not sit well with anyone already feeling anxious about their career. But take it from digital marketing manager Illy Ariffin who found her purpose as soon as she left her comfort zone.
She started as a receptionist, and during her free time, she wrote for a blog. This eventually led to a friend offering her to work on a social media project. Despite the unpredictability of the situation, she took the bold step and went for it. “From there, I learned a lot of new skills, and it brought me to where I am today.”
5. Expand your passion and purpose
What you know now may become obsolete in just a few years. A trend now can be forgotten after some months. Such is a reality many people face. This is why it is crucial to expand your skills, passions, and purpose.
“When I was starting out, I made it a priority to learn as much as I could,” said Illy. Take every chance to learn something new along your journey. This way, you can protect yourself from changes and challenges that will come your way. This will even allow you to pivot when the need arises. For Illy, it is okay if you have to work in a different field compared to what you initially studied, as long as you pursue your passion.
You may have realised that happiness in the workplace relies on many different factors. Now what is important is to find what suits your situation best. If the tips above can still be applied in your current job, keep at it and strive to do more meaningful work. But if you have come to a final decision to leave, then do not wait another minute before acting.
Take that bold step and find a role that aligns with your passion and purpose. There is an exciting world out there filled with opportunities that will lead to greater happiness. To get started, check out JobStreet’s Let’s Get to Work campaign for extra doses of inspiration and motivation.
Then work on your JobStreet profile to ensure that you are attracting the right companies. Stay proactive for searching for #JobsThatMatter on the website and via the app. You can also find more helpful career advice at the Career Resources Hub.
