It can be so frustrating when you hear people say, “Just follow your passion!” Or, my personal favourite “if you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life.” Yeah, sure, you’d love to, if only you knew what your passion was.

Why do some people get excited to go to work while others experience that Sunday night dread? Understandably, we all need to earn money and make a living, but it seems as though some people enjoy it more than others.    

Fortunately, job satisfaction is dependent on a variety of factors, many of which are within your control. With a little effort, you can either find the job that is best suited to meet your individual needs or learn to find fulfillment in the one you already have.

Finding Your Passion

Now, most people don’t know what they want to do – this is normal! This shouldn’t make you complacent though. If you are not passionate about what you do, you owe it to yourself to figure it out.  Take the time out to discover what you enjoy doing most in your free time. What are you willing to put in the effort for? What do my friends and family say I am good at? What parts of my job do I enjoy. For example, I’ve always known that I want to help people – I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to be doing but I knew that I wanted to be dealing with and helping people every day. I never thought that I would end up in recruitment but for me, I love helping find people jobs and it’s the best feeling when you find someone that perfect role.

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

With Instagram, Facebook etc. it’s almost impossible to not know what your ex-colleagues, friends and school mates are up to. Whilst we should be happy that we can keep in touch with these people and stay connected, we generally end up comparing our successes to theirs.

Comparing yourself with other people achieves nothing. Instead, just focus on you. Instead of blaming everyone else on why you don’t like your job, think of ways that you can improve and get to where you want to in terms of your career. 

Find A Company That Matches You

The importance of company culture is so important. Everyone is different – some people want that 9 to 5 lifestyle while others thrive in high pressure environments. Your satisfaction at work is massively dependent of fitting in with an organisation that shares the same values, ethics and beliefs as you. So, if your current company doesn’t reflect what you believe in, then it should be no surprise that you are not happy.

Ask for What You Want

Sometimes, it can be the lack of growth that leads to dissatisfaction in the workplace. Feeling stuck can have a detrimental impact on your performance.  So in some instances, you should fight for what you deserve. Whether that be negotiating a pay rise or requesting a promotion or asking for a better and safer workplace, the simple act of asking for what you want can increase your job satisfaction.

The Importance of Friendships at Work

One of the easiest ways to find fulfilment at work is to have good relationships with your colleagues. Having friendly faces in the workplace is beneficial for numerous reasons. They make coming into work easier; they can motivate you but also help make difficult days just that little bit better.

Gaining job satisfaction can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. What ways do you achieve job satisfaction?

Georgia Narayan

Consultant