Australians are becoming very unsatisfied at work. And as we get closer to the end of 2019, many will question if resignation is the right move. I see many individuals blaming their lack of work fulfilment on their current role, but it’s usually not the role that is the problem. Like any relationship we have in life you need to work hard to keep the spark alive, and your relationship with work is no different.
I have spent years working with some of the worlds leading companies such as Microsoft, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Universal Music and I have come to realise that everyone from top-to-bottom within an organisation needs strategies to ensure they continually challenge perceptions on work and its purpose in our lives.
In our age of comparison, it’s easy for anyone within an organisation to feel dissatisfied and lose interest in their career and relationships. We believe that the grass is greener on the other side and unfortunately, there is a tendency for people to jump ship because it’s the easy choice, when in fact what they’re looking for is already in their own backyard.
However, there is a simple way that people can take charge and find satisfaction in their current roles, the key is to find meaning in what you do. In fact, research has found that meaning in work has been associated with employees feeling 2.2 times more satisfied with their jobs, 2.8 times more likely to stay at the company, and 93 per cent more engaged.
I believe if Australians focus on combining meaning and mastery, they will have a rewarding and satisfying career.
My top three tips are below:
- Find your “meaning”: Take time to consider the “why” in your work. There are obvious reasons such as money, but what are the other things that make your job significant. For example, do you enjoy busy office environments for the socialisation or do you prefer working from home to suit your lifestyle? It’s important to keep in mind that meaning is extremely personal and should not be based on external factors, just your own personal happiness.
- Once you’ve established your why, you need to determine your “mastery”: What is this? Mastery is when you’ve already excelled at a particular skill set, but you’re committed to refining and improving on it. We do this by immersing ourselves in what you do. We need to jump in, learn about it, study it, talk about it, watch films, documentaries, go to meet-ups, and basically live it. It’s vital that you don’t become complacent when you reach your peak level, and just focus on unfulfilling tasks, such as wasting time on Facebook.
- Finally, constantly monitor your time, balance is key: Time is ultimately all we have, and how we spend and invest it will determine the very substance and success of our lives.
Phill Nosworthy, Executive Advisor and Founder, Switch L+D
