Eight Traits That Make Your Job Feel Less Like Work

Kate Lorenz, © 2005, CareerBuilder, www.careerbuilder.com

Falling in love is that euphoric feeling you have when you are with someone who makes you feel better about yourself. When people fall in love, their self-esteem is higher when they are around the person they adore. Similarly, when you are in a workplace environment that makes you feel better about yourself, you may find you love your work.

What makes people love their jobs? Many employers and employees assume that compensation is the primary driver of job satisfaction. However, numerous surveys dispute this assumption. William M. Mercer, Inc. found in surveying 206 medium to large companies that in those companies with very low turnover, 40 percent of the respondents perceived emotional factors -- work satisfaction, good relationships with managers and other employees - as completely motivating their retention, or commitment to the company. In comparison, the survey indicated that 21 percent attributed financial factors (satisfaction with compensation and benefits) as completely motivating their retention. Apparently the old proverb is right: money isn't everything.

So how do you know what factors can make you love your job? A lot depends on what you are looking to get out of your work. Consider this checklist and prioritize each item based upon your personal preferences and what is most important to you:

• Work satisfaction: Liking the work in and of itself
• Culture satisfaction: Fitting in to the personality of your place of work
• Social interaction: Feeling that you are gaining the desired socialization and networking ability at work
• Self-actualization: Gaining a feeling of fulfillment, that you are using and developing your skills and natural talents to the fullest
• Recognition: Believing that your work is acknowledged and validated by others
• Control: Feeling that you have some control over your own destiny - that there are few barriers to achieving results and reaping rewards
• Finances: Getting compensated fairly for the work you are doing and receiving benefits commensurate with the norm in your field
• Passion: Feeling like you are doing something worthwhile or important.

Once you've prioritized the list, check off those items that you feel your current job provides. Now look at your results to pinpoint areas and discrepancies that leave you feeling cold and unfulfilled.

For instance, if pay and self-actualization are your two top priorities - are you getting paid enough, but are not fulfilled? Maybe recognition, control and pay are your top three priorities and you make a good salary, have lots of control and authority, but find you don't get much recognition.

What can you do about the areas where your job leaves you feeling low and empty? Many times talking with your immediate supervisor to share your findings and discussing ways to address the areas where your job is lacking is all it takes. Perhaps your supervisor didn't think recognition mattered much to you. Or maybe your boss was unaware of some of your other, hidden talents.

You may find that your co-workers feel equally unsatisfied at work for the same reasons you do and are just as stymied about what to do about it. This may be due to cultural, structural or staffing issues. By pinpointing and communicating where the problem is, you may be able to work with your employer to fix the problem. For example, if rewards are not aligned with achievable goals, shedding light on the problem is the first step in fixing it. If your company culture leaves everyone unfulfilled, maybe you can help lead a task force to change or enrich your culture.

There will be times when the source of your dissatisfaction cannot be improved at your current place of employment. Sometimes you are just a square peg in a round hole. For example, if your very casual, laid-back personality just can't fit into a very old-fashioned, formal workplace culture, it's time to move on. Or maybe you have an abrasive manager who will never make changes to address your concerns. In these cases, an understanding of your priorities will help you find a job and workplace with more passion.

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