Do You Love Your Job?

Love: noun 1. an intense feeling of deep affection. 2. a great interest and pleasure in something.

Let that sink in. By definition, in order to really love your job, you would need to have an intense affection towards it. Sure, some people are what we call “career heroes” that live and breathe to go to work, but the vast amount of the working public actually hates their job. So much so, that some days they do not want to go to work which leads to calling in or arriving late. A recent Gallup Poll states that 85% of workers worldwide are unhappy in their career. We decided to dig in and figure out what these career heroes have in common that make them love what they do.

Challenge

Believe it or not, the main reason people switch jobs is because they are bored. An employee who is no longer engaged puts in little effort and loses interest in the day-to-day tasks. People who are happy at work often report feeling challenged on a weekly basis. Work environments with room for creative problem solving and opportunities for independent thinking lead to high productivity, engagement, and low turnover. Recognizing the value of a challenge, an employee will begin to experience personal and professional growth. If you are no longer feeling challenged in your role it may be time to ask your boss for more responsibility or find new ways to challenge yourself.

Acknowledgement

Without recognition, employees can get stuck in a rut performing day to day duties. Feeling valued at work is a key motivator in workplace happiness and pushes employees to work harder and smarter. Managers who provide their employees with positive feedback and recognition have a hand in not only allowing them to perform their best work, but also becoming better versions of themselves. A simple thank you will do the trick. Rewards and privileges can also go a long way in adding to the work-life balance. It is easy to see how if your employer offered longer lunches, work from home days, or flex time to exceptional employees, there would be an increase in performance and job satisfaction.

Connection

A fantastic company culture combined with supportive co-workers makes work not feel like ‘work’. Both in and out of the office, relationships have a substantial impact on our happiness. That is why it is super important to have friendships at work. When you like the people you work with it makes the job more fulfilling. Today’s employee needs to feel connected and committed to the company’s mission, products or services in order to feel like they are truly making a difference. It is not always about the salary, the happiest employees are the ones who are challenged, acknowledged and connected.

If you’re looking for a new job you’ll love, check out our Job Openings page + to see what’s available. Apex Staffing specializes in connecting talented job seekers with high-quality, local employers. Our service is completely free for job seekers and we are always accepting applications.