Some of the squishiest aspects of a job are also the ones that make it most rewarding: the values held by your company and your co-workers. Research has shown, for example, that all over the world job satisfaction depends on a sense of accomplishment, recognition for a job well done, and work-life balance.
Employees who see their work as worthwhile are nearly 2.5 times happier than others – with research by Robert Half finding that it's the biggest driver of happiness for people in the marketing and creative fields.
Of course, no employee is happy at work every single day, and even jobs you are passionate about can sometimes be frustrating or tedious. But if your career is something you generally enjoy and feel proud of, you are more likely to feel happy at work.
What makes people happy at work? There are seven major factors that make people happy: having a sense of purpose, feeling valued, the availability of wellness programs, feeling engaged, working in a collaborative environment, having flexibility, and being in a positive workplace culture.
Doing a job we enjoy and find satisfying can provide a meaningful focus for our lives, as well as bringing in an income. Our standard of living hinges on the money we make, while employment often contributes to our self-image and self-esteem. Work-related problems can affect our physical, emotional and mental health.
Employees tend to be happier and more hardworking when they are in a good working environment, for instance, being happy to work in a good working relationship. Group relationship is important and has effects on employees' absenteeism and turnover rate.
Does work make you happy? Not so much if you're in the developed world. Believe it or not.
“Why am I never happy with any job?!”: There are surprising reasons: You’re looking for happiness in all the wrong places. You’re looking for a job that makes you rich, not happy. You have a “good job” that you hate -- but that you just can’t quit.
But wait, are you saying I’ll never be happy with any job??? Nope. In my turn I was happy with most of my jobs -- seriously -- even when things weren’t perfect. And it really came down to making sure my values matched the organizations and that I got the “perks” that were most important to me.
As a retiree at the age of 70, I have stayed in the Philippines now since 1999. I still enjoy writing, translating, and teaching. I just can't sit in my tropical garden or on the beach under some palm trees.
