Love and Connection
Work Stats
Fun facts:
- The average UK person will spend 3,515 full days at work during their life.
- 188 days of that will be over time.
- Factoring in sleep that is approximately 1/3 of our waking time.
- We often spend more waking time with our work colleagues than with our families.
- It is estimated that we will have 812 arguments over the course of our careers.
So the right work (and getting things right at work) is important.
There are others, of course – but here are the 6 aspects of the working life, that behavioural psychologists agree are the most important to being happy at work.
That:
- 1. We like doing the tasks that we are given to do.
- 2. We feel positively towards our colleagues.
- 3. We feel fairly paid.
- 4. There is the opportunity to progress/upskill.
- 5. We feel respected and acknowledged at work.
- 6. We can make decisions and feel valued.
As ever, everything filters through our values –
and the ideal job would tick all 6 boxes.
If you’re feeling uneasy or not enjoying your job – can you identify which of the areas feel less than optimum?
It helps to pick things apart to pinpoint exactly where things might be going wrong – so then you can address it logically.
- Is it something you can change by having a conversation with the relevant person?
- Do they know you would like to progress?
- To earn more?
- That there’s tension in the office?
- Do they deserve the opportunity to put things right?
But if there’s no possibility to shake things up, and you’ve decided it’s time to move on – at least you’ll know you tried everything to make it work.
You’ll also know what you’re looking for in the future – and what questions to ask in interviews.
Interestingly in polls, point 6 is often the most important one – whilst it’s rarely the one talked about when employee benefits are listed in job descriptions.
Having at least some autonomy to make decisions about what happens in the workplace, is crucial to employee happiness.
BUT:
if you do decide to interview/seek employment elsewhere, check out employee satisfaction websites or talk to current employees – to get the down-and-dirty details of what it’s REALLY like there.
We’ll spend this week, looking at relationships in the workplace a little more closely.
? Questions
How does your current work life measure up to the 6 KPIs?
- Do YOU like doing the tasks that we are given to do?
- Do YOU feel positively towards our colleagues?
- Do YOU feel fairly paid?
- Are there opportunities for YOU to progress/upskill?
- Do YOU feel respected and acknowledged at work?
- Are YOU free to make decisions and do you feel valued?