What We Like about Work
By Vicky Oliver
Much has been said lately about employees’ dissatisfaction with work. Whether it’s because of work-life imbalance, tyrannical bosses, or wage stagnation, grievances have taken center stage.
People often reference going to work with negative clichés and connotations — punching a clock, keeping one’s nose to the grindstone, having the Monday blues and so on. But new research shows that those who disparage their employers or their work situation are actually in the minority. In fact, of workers polled, 73 percent were satisfied with their jobs. What’s more, 68 percent said their work gave their life meaning.
Even though we tend to badmouth having to go to work, it can offer ample opportunities for satisfaction, socialization and inspiration — not to mention financial well-being.
These are among the reasons that the majority of us like work:
1. Provides a sense of identity. Our sense of identity is closely tied to our work. Notice how it’s one of the first questions that others ask upon meeting us for the first time. It’s a primary factor in defining who we are as an individual. Our role in our workplace gives us a sense of who we are as team members, and what special talents and perspectives we can contribute. Beyond that, solving problems at work bolsters confidence.
2. Offers intellectual stimulation. Work offers us a proven way to expand our knowledge and explore new ideas once we’ve moved beyond higher education. Working in new departments at the office provides fresh challenges. Additionally, if our companies pay for classes to improve our skills, we are constantly learning and growing. Work under these circumstances can actually be quite stimulating.
3. Brings social interaction. It may not be universal, but in most cases, friendships form from being part of a work environment. Bonds develop from spending significant portions of our days solving problems together. We’re able to foster new friendships with people we may not otherwise have met through our own peer groups, but who we come to admire and enjoy. Lunches, office picnics, even yearly office parties provide ample opportunity for camaraderie.
4. Allows opportunities to learn from others. Work gives us the opportunity to grow from others’ ideas and enrich our own. Mentoring and being mentored give us fresh perspectives on both work and life. Work also exposes us to ways that others use technology so that we stay current in our technical know-how.
5. Links us to a community. Offices can, in part, serve as microcosms of the larger communities in which we live. Co-workers and supervisors may be of different ages, races, political or religious persuasions, and so on. Through work, we’re able to interact with a more diverse range of people than our inner circle of family and friends. It opens us up to new kinds of interaction that help us broaden our world, hone our people skills, and make smarter, more informed decisions.
6. Assists with resources and tools. As many found when remote working mandates were in place, it isn’t easy to troubleshoot problems or find quick answers to pressing work questions without easy access to expert personnel. Work also can make it possible to access training on the use of new tools that we’d otherwise have to research, pay for, and figure out the applicability of all on our own.
7. Creates a sense of purpose. No matter what sort of work we do, it impacts other’s life — whether in a large or small way. If we believe in the company’s mission, going to work each day can feel purposeful. Contributing to the greater good makes us feel that we’re adding value, which is satisfying in ways that we don’t often achieve otherwise.
8. Pays the bills. Receiving the rewards of our labors is both fulfilling and saves us from the stress of worrying how to shelter, feed, and clothe ourselves, along with any others dependent upon us.
There are a thousand variables that can help make a particular job fulfilling or a living hell. But with the right boss, the right team in place, and a stimulating mix of projects, work can provide stimulation, camaraderie, self-confidence, and hopefully a fair amount of stability.
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Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-best-selling author of five books, including 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions (Sourcebooks 2005), named in the top 10 list of “Best Books for HR Interview Prep,” 301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions (Skyhorse, 2010), and Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots (Sourcebooks, 2008). She is a sought-after speaker and seminar presenter and a popular media source, having made over 901 appearances in broadcast, print and online outlets. For more information, visit vickyoliver.com.
