Job Satisfaction: What are things that positively influence your ability to be satisfied, energized & productive?
Happiness at work is a hot topic.
You probably hear people talking about it in the hallways and break rooms.
Whose job is it to make folks happy at work?
You won’t be surprised that I’m going to say that the primary responsibility lies with the individual (that’s you) to create his or her own Professional Paradise. In thoughtful moments, that’s the only logical response; however, there are times when senior leaders, managers, coworkers and customers/patients all impact the equation. As with most things at work, It’s a shared responsibility. Now that we have the responsibly piece cleared up, let’s get more specific.
What are things that positively influence your ability to be satisfied, energized & productive?
Take a quick break. Stop what you’re working on and jot down your answers.
To prompt your brainstorming, here are two things that I frequently hear that positively influence someone’s ability to be satisfied, energized & productive:
- Having the resources to do my job
- Teamwork
Give yourself a few minutes to think. There’s no rush. Include at least 6 answers on your list. Go beyond the top of mind responses and dig a little deeper. The answers are different for everyone and there are no incorrect responses.
Now that you’ve made your list, the next step is to “code” the list according to who is responsible for each influencer.
M = Myself
L = My Leader
O = Organization/Senior Leaders
I recently asked this question at a workshop for healthcare leaders and frontline staff. You can see their responses in the pictures. We focused on the “M” and “L” categories because those are within the span of control of the participants. It’s fine to list things that are influenced by the Organization/Senior Leaders…you just have to be willing to follow up with those folks to prompt change in those areas.
Here’s the great news. The items that you listed with an “M” can be influenced TODAY and tomorrow and the next day. You’ve got the power to create your own Professional Paradise no matter what is happening around you and your coworkers do too.
Take it to the Team
Imagine the power of this discussion with the whole team. Those Chain Gang Members (disengaged employees) will not like the responses that include an “M” because it’s always easier to point fingers and blame others for creating our own happiness at work. When you do that, you can remain a passenger who waits for others to fix everything.
If you are reading this, I’m hoping you are a Chief Paradise Officer who wants to be in the driver’s seat. I’m hoping you are a leader who wants to support those on your team as they create their own Professional Paradise.
As we wrap up, the last step is to write down one or two things you could do today to be more satisfied, energized & productive. This can’t be something you need someone else’s help with. It’s all about you. Because at the end of the day, that’s the only person you can totally influence so why not start there.