It is commonly assumed that people work only for money, and that getting up every day and performing their job duties is merely a means to an end, namely getting paid. Is this really the case? Or is there more to it than financial rewards?
Dan Ariely took a closer look at this issue and presented a very simple concept at a TEDx conference, citing a number of interesting studies. The video can be found at the bottom of this post.
It can be said that work is a bit like mountain climbing. Books about mountaineering often talk about sacrifice, pain, frostbite, and achieving success is only the happy ending to the story. And yet, despite such a brief moment of true satisfaction, mountaineers return to the mountains, conquer new peaks, consciously exposing themselves to renewed discomfort, exhaustion and risk. But what does climbing have to do with work?
EFFORT
For most people, money is an important aspect of their professional life, but not the most important one. One hundred per cent satisfaction is achieved in other ways. Effort is needed to derive satisfaction from work. It is only the awareness of the effort put into achieving a goal that makes success taste so good.
MEANING
To feel professional satisfaction, you must first recognise the meaning of your work. This condition must be met for employees to care about conscientiously performing the tasks entrusted to them. No one wants to work for the sake of work. Even remuneration cannot fill the gap caused by a lack of perceived meaning in what one does. The research on building robots from Lego bricks described by Dan illustrates this point perfectly.
RECOGNITION
Recognition should be one of the most important elements of work. Employees do not feel sufficiently motivated and see no point in making an effort if they know that they will not be appreciated for it. Ignoring the efforts of subordinates discourages them from taking action, which translates into lower efficiency for the entire company. Research shows that even a small amount of interest in someone’s work is a source of at least minimal satisfaction for the employee.
COMMITMENT
Another important element of job satisfaction is the ability to be sincerely committed to one’s work. Being aware of the time and effort put into a task makes employees appreciate the results of their efforts more. So if knows how much they have done and can see that their work has a positive impact on the company, they feel genuine satisfaction. This, in turn, provides further motivation to take on new challenges.
As you can see, job satisfaction does not come solely from pay. To feel satisfaction, a number of additional elements are needed: a challenge worth the effort, recognition from your boss and/or colleagues, attachment and the resulting commitment, and the awareness that the work you do is needed.
Unfortunately, while motivating a team seems relatively easy, destroying their enthusiasm for work is even easier. This can even be done through carelessness. That is why it is so important for a competent boss to skilfully lead a team of employees. An appropriate incentive system and building the right attitudes in the company are among the most important steps towards creating a committed, productive workforce.
Be sure to watch the whole thing.
