The One Secret To Staying Happy In Your Job

           With the current pandemic well underway, the levels of job satisfaction have significantly decreased. According to our COVID-19 report released in August 2020, the percentage of those currently employed but unhappy with their jobs have increased to 38% specifically during this period versus 9% prior to the pandemic. 

           While the numbers reflect a pessimistic outlook, there is one secret that is still keeping most employees within their own organization, and that is: purpose.  

           Whether it be financial reasons, career growth, or alignment between your moral code and your organisation’s, job satisfaction rises when there is a ‘why’ behind why you work. 

           Are you driven by passion and purpose? These three points may help answer the question.

Value propositions

           What values do you care about, and does your work align with these values? Are you happy in your job? Conscientiousness is a trait valued by most organizations, and is the key to your eventual success. It is defined as being ‘thorough, careful, and vigilant,’ and is also the bridging factor between you and your employer. It is that systematic, inner knowing that you are looking out not just for your own well-being, but for your organization’s too. Conscientiousness happens when there is a clear and defined union between what you value and what your company values. 

           It’s not just in what you value, too. Does the company show signs you are valued at work? Do they appreciate what you do? You know your company takes care of you when there is equal pay for work of equal value, a corresponding give-and-receive relationship where you are rewarded well for the positive contributions you have shared. 

Find your motivation and build your skills for it

           Is there a ‘why’ behind your work? According to author and leadership strategist Dan Pontefract, he illustrates three mindsets people adapt in their career:

• Job Mindset: You work to fulfill your financial needs. Whether it be your compensation or the company benefits, it is a priority that fuels your reason to work. 
• Career Mindset: Furthering your career and growing to move forward is the reason why you want to stay in your current line of work. Additionally, a promise of promotion may add to the pros of why your job works at this time. 
• Purpose Mindset: You live to serve and pure passion and love for your job works. 

           After you have determined your purpose, it’s time to harness your skills. Amid fluid shifts within the industries, most companies are going for automation and most skills-based work can now be done in a snap. Most employers are looking for job seekers that provide a passionate outlook along with innately ‘human’ skills that are multipurpose in nature, or better known as transferable skills.

So when you have time to yourself, dedicate a portion of it to evaluating whether you are just working because your muscle memory serves you well, or if there is a reason why you are still sticking it out. Managing vision and purpose along with a genuine interest in your job can definitely lead you down a more prosperous and well-defined path. 

Reaping The Rewards

           Even with passion in mind, there is still much weight when we say that hard work still must be paid off. Are you fairly compensated for the work you put in? Personal value and financial value may well be one of the oldest partnerships in the book, but it still rings true today. The pandemic has stirred up a lot of change in pay grades with a whopping 45% of employees negatively affected in terms of remuneration. 

           So make sure that your passion and purpose are positively reinforced and rewarded each and every time, because financial security is just as important, especially today. 

           If you are currently exploring new opportunities for career growth, now is a good time to update your JobsDB profile and hunt for #JobsThatMatter. Reflect your interests and preferences such as your skills, interest, and preferred salary so the right hirers can find you. For more expert insights and helpful tips on growing your career, visit the Career Resources Hub.

At JobsDB, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organization.

Discover Jobs That Matter. Visit JobsDB today.

About SEEK Asia

           SEEK Asia, a combination of two leading brands JobStreet and JobsDB, is the leading job portal and Asia’s preferred destination for candidates and hirers. SEEK Asia’s presence span across 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. SEEK Asia is part of the Australian Securities Exchange-listed SEEK Limited Company, the world’s largest job portal by market capitalization. SEEK Asia attracts over 400 million visits a year.

About SEEK Limited

           SEEK is a diverse group of companies, comprising a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. SEEK has a global presence (including Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, South-East Asia, Brazil and Mexico), with exposure to over 2.9 billion people and approximately 27 per cent of global GDP. SEEK makes a positive contribution to people’s lives on a global scale. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, where it is a top 100 company and has been listed in the Top 20 Most Innovative Companies by Forbes.