This morning I chatted to the ABC about how to make the most out of your current job; a topic that is always front of mind this time of year. With unemployment rates as low as they are, the Great Resignation and the ongoing effects of pandemic, 2022 is going to be an interesting time in the workplace; creating both enormous opportunities and some challenges.
What we want out of work
This varies of course, by person and where you are in your life and career. But for most people, it’s usually a combination of the following:
- Sufficient income to meet obligations and pay the bills;
- Work that has meaning, purpose and interest in some way.
- A safe workplace – both physically and psychologically.
- Good leadership, and a positive workplace culture.
- Working with decent people.
- Having some sort of balance in life – whether that is in the way we work, the hours we work, or how work fits with the rest of our lives.
How does your job stack up?
How does your current job stack up against what you want out of work?
What does a job mean to you? Is it a career or is it a transactional means to pay the bills?
To make the most out of your current job – think about what is good about it. How it fits positively into your life. What works well.
What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning? Is it the people you work with? The industry? The work itself? Is it the flexibility? The impact you make? Are you proud to work where you do and do the work you do?
If it’s not working
If you dread coming into work every morning – work out why. Again, is it the people you work with, the hours, the work itself? Or your boss? Is it just not your dream job? Being clear on what’s not working makes it easier to sort out a plan to make it better. And anxiety is more easily managed if you can be clear on the specific issue, not just a general sense of dread.
If you hate your boss
This article has some disturbing stats in it regarding how people feel about their boss.
“New research shows over half of the workers surveyed have concerns about having to physically interact with their boss. A whopping 65% think that their boss struggles with ‘soft skills’, and the equivalent of 3.4 million working Australians dislike their boss.”
Most people just want to be able to come to work – do a good job, enjoy the work as much as possible and have purpose to their work. New research shows that people want good relationships and managers who have empathy, emotional intelligence and value positive human relationships including being able to manage conflict.
Some managers genuinely don’t care about being a decent boss, but lots do want to do a better job and just don’t know how. Many managers have been promoted on the basis of being good at something technically and land in the role of manager without the slightest clue about what to do or how to do it.
Being able to provide your manager with constructive feedback on how they are managing and leading can lead to change. If they don’t know what they are doing, then how can they possibly do something about it? For those that do know and don’t care, it’s about assessing how much this impacts you and your ability to do your role. If it’s painful but bearable, that’s one thing. If it’s toxic then that requires a different approach.
If it’s the hours
One of the great things to have come from the pandemic is that many employers are now open/expect flexible working or a hybrid type arrangement. Work out what would work best for you and your employer and make a plan from there. The key here is to be constructive and look at it from both parties’ perspective.
Remember that the law also helps in this area with the right to request flexible working for various categories of employees.
If it’s your colleagues
If it’s a colleague that is giving you the irrites, think about how you contribute to the situation. We can only change ourselves, so if you do something different in the relationship, it will change the dynamic.
As with your manager, is it a case that your colleague genuinely isn’t aware of their impact? If changing your part of the deal hasn’t worked, decide whether you can live with it or not. If not, there are heaps of great resources online that can help with a constructive way of dealing with a difficult situation. Here’s an article I wrote a while ago on managing d*cks in the workplace.
If it’s the pay
Whilst unemployment is low – it’s hard for employers to get good people. Use this to your advantage. Research market rates. Think about what you’ve done to contribute to the organisation. If you’re going to ask for a pay rise – go armed with the facts, and choose a good time to do it. If your organisation only pays award rates or has a strict remuneration policy – think about other ways you might be rewarded other than pay. Perhaps it’s access to training and development or study, perhaps it is about being on a project that will give you greater opportunities. Maybe it’s being able to access more leave or greater flexibility.
If it’s about meaning and purpose
Finally if it is about purpose – there are two ways to look at this. Firstly there are some jobs that are just a means to an end and purpose can be found in other aspects of your life. Alternatively – it’s an employee’s market – so if your current job really isn’t cutting it and you’ve tried all the hints we have talked about – maybe it’s time to find a new job.
The Takeaway
The last two years have taught us that life can be short. So let’s be purposeful about what works and what doesn’t in our lives.
Does your job serve its purpose? If not, can you do something about it whilst staying in the role? If that doesn’t work, what plan can you make to leave?
More Reading..
Want more still…….
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See you soon,
