How much satisfaction do you get from your job?
If you’re like most people, your answer to that question depends at least in part on how meaningful your work is. There are many sources of meaning at work, and they’re different for each of us. Some find meaning in working for a cause they believe in; others find it in making processes run well or building their skills. These suggestions can help you connect with what matters to you and discover (or rediscover) how to make your time at work more fulfilling.
You’re fed up with a haphazard process for responding to customer complaints. Or with a peer’s habit of shutting down your ideas in departmental meetings. Or with so much perfectly good food getting tossed after catered events when some people in your community don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
It’s easy to think you don’t have the time or the power to fix a workplace irritant. But you might be surprised by what can happen when you focus energy on changing something. Even small victories feel good.
To start:
You’ll probably hit roadblocks — there’s a reason that the problem hasn’t already been fixed. Instead of feeling defeated, reflect on what you learned, congratulate yourself for trying your best, and celebrate the progress you made. Making progress on something feels amazing. And it makes you look good to higher-ups, who tend to recognize proactive problem-solvers as real leaders, and to colleagues who may have been bugged by the same thing and appreciate your attempt to help.
As you go about your day-to-day business, it is easy to forget the impact your organization’s work has on people. You don’t get to hear them rave about the delicious salad dressing your company makes or watch them easily schedule a dentist appointment using the software you helped build. And as you progress in your career, you may move further away from your customers — instead of chatting with people at the cash register, you’re reviewing reports at corporate headquarters.
Observing or communicating directly with those your organization serves can shine a light on the difference your work makes and spark new ideas. For a fresh injection of inspiration, you might:
Surveys show that people with strong social connections at work perform better. But that’s not the only reason to initiate or strengthen a workplace friendship: Over time, small doses of connection and camaraderie — lunchtime banter, sharing photos and memes, offering words of encouragement when you’re having a bad day — add up to a steady source of fulfillment. One customer success manager told us how she reached out to a peer in sales to schedule a regular breakfast chat. They informally swapped ideas and got to know each other better as they scarfed down pastries. Six months later, they had implemented some of their ideas — and cultivated a friendship that made work a lot more fun for them both.
Who’s someone in your company you’d like to get to know better? Invite them to coffee or lunch (virtual or in person, depending on your situation). If you both find it fruitful, consider setting a recurring get-together. And if it doesn’t work out, reach out to someone else — perhaps a newer employee who might be particularly open to forging ties with colleagues.
Feeling bored lately? Maybe you haven’t learned something new in a while. Everyone has a deep-seated need to keep learning and growing. When we stop, we stagnate.
You don’t need to change roles, sign up for a class, attend a conference, or hire a coach — although those are perfectly viable ways to learn, and many organizations provide resources for employees to pursue them. Opportunities may be hiding in plain sight. You might:
“Live your values” sounds grandiose. But much of life is made up of small gestures and actions. Centering the everyday things you do on the principles that you aspire to is a realistic and effective way to feel more satisfied with how you go about your work.
For example, maybe you’re big on reducing waste, so you recommend that the company place trash cans in communal areas instead of putting one under every employee’s desk (a tactic known to cut down on corporate landfill). Or maybe you believe in owning and learning from mistakes, so you make a habit of openly sharing some of yours with colleagues — and reacting to theirs with compassion and curiosity, not judgment.
For some people, a job is a way to take care of the basics so that they’re free to live their values outside of work — for example, by volunteering for a cause they believe in or caring for a family member in need. If that’s the case for you, making work meaningful might involve setting clear boundaries that allow you to devote time away from work to what’s most important to you.
Studies show that thank-yous at work aren’t common enough (and employees wish they were). Less frequently discussed is that letting your team and colleagues know you value them also may boost your happiness. It can be a surprisingly effective way to counteract stress, remind yourself of the good things happening around you, and strengthen your connection to others.
Your appreciation will be more fulfilling to you and others if you put thought into people’s preferences and personalize what you share. For example, instead of a mass email congratulating your whole project team on a recent win, consider how your colleagues like to be praised (e.g., 1-on-1 or in public, in writing or verbally); what each person contributed that you’re thankful for; and the specific impact of their work. Apply this approach on an individual level and the burst of joy it provides may surprise you.