Tips for job satisfaction

Our work is key to our happiness and satisfaction. However, many people are dissatisfied. Changing jobs, starting a business and the like are options that are covered in the Get Happiness Plan program as well. However, this video focuses on how to be satisfied in your current job. There are really two key steps to working toward satisfaction in your current job. First, get crystal clear as to what you want out of your job. Do you want your job to be a major, or THE major, source of purpose and happiness in your life? Or is your job meant to be a vehicle that enables you to pursue other things that provide your purpose and happiness.

Once you determine what the role of your job is you can then focus on how to make shifts to improve your satisfaction. Second, take responsibility for your satisfaction in your job. You are 50% partner in your commitment to each other so act like a 50% owner of your role and satisfaction.

There are four tips I recommend to do so:

1. Communicate. I have been in business as an employee and Senior manager for 25 years. EVERY manager has at some point been where you are today. So communicate with him or her. (Not with every other person who has a grievances. Be open and ask for ideas.

2. One area I highly recommend using the HR team is to find out what programs and opportunities are there where you may be able to further enhance your experience. Are there educational classes or budget where you can improve your skills and what you can actually contribute? Are there volunteer programs or company initiatives that you can get involved in?

3. Look for ways to network and collaborate across the company. I had one employee who was amazing. She always made it a point to have standing calls, or when in the office meetings, with people from other departments. And her main goal was to learn about their roles and challenges. Before long, she was collaborating on really cool things within the context of her current job. She was excited and everyone benefited.

4. Be an intrapreneur. If you see ways you can help the company grow or improve, spend some free time working on those ideas and present them to your leadership. Every company looks for people to take initiative and solve problems. What skills and insights do you bring to the table that may represent an opportunity? Are you a developer? Have language or cultural insights that could benefit new markets? Do you have ideas of product adaptations or partnership ideas? The list is long but the key is to think about what you can add, figure out what value it can bring to the company, organize the ideas and value proposition and share it.