Job satisfaction factors may not be what you think.
Last week we talked about the direct correlation between healthy relationships and happiness, and this included relationships with co-workers and colleagues, which ultimately impacts job satisfaction.
So, what else impacts job satisfaction? The usual are: the job itself, who you work for, the overall leadership team, the work culture, colleagues, pay, and benefits. And often not discussed, stress levels.
Plain and simple, stress is a huge concern. Korn Ferry conducted a survey of roughly 2000 professionals, and two-thirds of the survey participants shared that their stress level at work has increased over the past five years. Attributing factors included ongoing technology changes, workload demands, and interpersonal conflicts.
It was also reported that stress at work spilled over to personal relationships, caused loss of sleep, with 16% of those polled quitting their job because of it. The biggest reported cause of stress? Leadership. 35% of respondents identified direct bosses as the primary source of stress, followed by co-workers.
Liking your job and being interested in what you do are factors for job satisfaction. The adage do what you love and you’ll never work a day may or may not be valid. Studies show that people who are truly interested in their jobs do indeed tend to be more satisfied, but who we work with matters more than the work we do.
This circles back to last week’s discussion that relationships matter. During the week many of us spend more time with our coworkers than we do with friends and family, and work interactions matter.
Being part of organization where you feel valued, and you have good relationships with your boss and coworkers seems to mean more than having a job you find interesting. The findings reflect that the “social experience”, and feeling valued take a precedent over everything else.
Job satisfaction requires a social environment where we can thrive both personally and professionally, and when our work culture includes having a boss and colleagues that are supportive and maybe even fun!
As a leader, what are you doing to minimize stress and maximize job satisfaction?
Sincerely,
Mike and Jan