Most adults spend most of their waking hours working, so it’s important to enjoy and find meaning in your work. There are multiple factors that can impact your job satisfaction. Read on to learn all about job satisfaction and what you can do to maximize your experience at work.

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Understanding Job Satisfaction

What Is Job Satisfaction?

Job satisfaction or employee satisfaction is an individual’s overall assessment of how content they are with their jobs. Here are some questions that can help you assess your level of job satisfaction:

• Do you enjoy your role, tasks, and responsibilities?
• Do you feel like your salary is fair?
• Do you feel secure in your employment? 
• Do you believe your company policies are fair?
• Do you trust and respect the leadership at work?
• Are there opportunities to grow as a professional?
• Are there promotion opportunities? 
• Do your supervisors value your ideas and opinions?
• Does your company offer other perks or benefits?
• Are you given rewards or recognition for your achievements?
• Do you like your co-workers?
• Does your company respect your personal time?

If your answers to most of these questions are yes, then you probably have high job satisfaction. 

What Are the Facets of Job Satisfaction?

Studies show that certain factors define most people’s appraisal of employee satisfaction. The different factors include:

• Nature of work or job design
• Job performance
• Role perception
• Salary, compensation, and benefits
• Job security
• Employee engagement
• Advancement opportunities
• Management-employee relationship
• Workplace conditions
• Work environment and culture
• Other social relationships

Job satisfaction can mean different things for different people. You may value certain variables over others.

It’s important to note that most of these job satisfaction factors are dependent on the organization or company. So it’s important to find a company that values the same job satisfaction factors as you do. 

Why Is Job Satisfaction Important?

In most businesses, employees are the most important resource. Human resources prioritize employee satisfaction because the alternative is costly.

When employees aren’t satisfied with their jobs, there’s more turnover and employee absenteeism. Satisfied employees tend to be more loyal to the company, so it can improve employee retention.

A happy employee is motivated to achieve more for themselves and the organization. This, in turn, benefits the bottom line by increasing productivity and profits.

From the employee’s perspective, job satisfaction is important because it impacts their well-being. Ideally, your job should be a source of pride and personal fulfillment.

For others though, it’s a source of stress and anxiety. Long-term job dissatisfaction can lead to employee burnout.

Some job satisfaction factors may be out of your control, but there are a few things you can do to improve your levels of satisfaction.

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7 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Job Satisfaction

1. Know What You Love About Your Job and Make Time for It

One way to improve your job satisfaction is to identify aspects of your job that make you come alive. List these down and try to make time for at least one enjoyable task every day.

Usually, the tasks that you enjoy are also tasks you excel in. It’s helpful for your supervisors or managers to understand your strengths. That way, they can assign tasks that are engaging and enjoyable.

Having something to look forward to every day is a great way to maintain motivation. Even if you don’t feel like you have your dream job or position yet, there must be something about your current job that you like. Make the most out of these tasks.

Tip: At the beginning of each workday, make a list of all the tasks you need to accomplish. Make sure there are one or two tasks on that list that you find enjoyable.

2. Have a Support System at Work

Your overall job satisfaction isn’t just about what you do, but it’s also about who you’re with at work. The workplace is a great venue to develop meaningful professional relationships.

In some cases, these relationships can extend outside of the office. The quality of your workplace relationships can enhance your job satisfaction.

Everyone can have an off day at work, so it’s important to have people you can lean on. Having a support system at work means that you won’t feel alone when handling stressful or challenging situations.

Collaborating with coworkers is also a wonderful way to meet team or business goals. So try to surround yourself with positive coworkers who can help you feel good about your job.

Tip: Try to promote an inclusive workplace by avoiding negative interpersonal behaviors like gossiping or making a habit of complaining. You want your coworkers and supervisors to see you as a positive and helpful employee.

3. Eat Healthy at Work

Certain foods can make you feel extra sluggish and sap you of your energy. So make sure that you eat light and healthy meals when you’re on the clock.

You want to keep your energy up throughout the day so you can accomplish everything you need to. You don’t want to end your workdays feeling frustrated.

Remember, you spend most of your waking hours at work. So if you’re not eating healthy meals at work, it’s likely going to impact your overall health.

Tip: Many people like to snack throughout the day. Try to have a stash of healthy options like nuts, yogurt, fruit, or granola. Stay away from snacks that are high in fat, sugar, and sodium.

4. Track Your Progress

It’s easy to feel unsatisfied with your job if you feel like you’re going nowhere. That’s why it’s important to set clear short-term and long-term goals.

Having clearly defined goals will allow you to track your progress. It’ll also help you identify your strategies.

If you can, meet with your supervisor or manager to define the goals of your position. Create time-bound milestones for each goal. Make sure that your daily tasks are in line with these goals.

Don’t forget to document your progress. That way, you know that all your hard work is leading to something meaningful.

Tip: Celebrate your progress! Whenever you hit a milestone, make sure you treat yourself to something fun.

5. Avoid Procrastination

It’s so easy to get distracted these days. Just being on a computer means you have access to a world wide web full of distractions.

But procrastination shouldn’t be a habit at work. Not only does it make you less productive, but it’s also detrimental to employee job satisfaction.

Procrastination can turn something manageable into something unnecessarily stressful. When you procrastinate all the time, you put yourself in a situation where you’re constantly trying to catch up with work.

In the long run, these employees tend to associate work with stress. Once this association is made, it’s easy to feel unsatisfied with work. So manage your time well so stay on top of your work.

Tip: When making your to-do list for the day, make sure you include a time limit for each task. This will help you stay focused on your work. 

6. Exercise Work-Life Balance

Studies show that high levels of work-life balance are associated with job and life satisfaction. If you’re thinking about work 24/7, you’re going to start resenting it—especially if it comes at the expense of your time with your family and friends.

That’s why it’s important to have work-life balance. When you have work-life balance, you can prioritize both your work and personal life. 

Everyone needs time to recharge and unwind from work. So try to maximize your time at work so you don’t end up working during your personal time.

Tip: Good time management is the key to work-life balance. So make the most out of your work hours so you can unplug without guilt at the end of the day.

7. Seek Out Mentors

Most employees have some level of supervision, but there’s a difference between a supervisor and a mentor. Research shows that mentorship programs can improve employees’ loyalty.

A mentor is a seasoned professional who is willing to maintain a long-term relationship with you. They’re able to assess your talents and provide you meaningful feedback about your professional growth.

Mentors can also help you develop soft skills that are equally important in your career. It’s helpful to know that someone is looking out for you and your development at work.

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