Fall Back in Love with Your Job

by Lisa Taylor

Next week, I will lead a workshop for a group of professionals who need to “fall back in love” with their work.  While there are many “top 10” approaches to improving the workplace, sometimes digging deeper into one or two specific areas leads to better insight and more concrete action. I’d like to share the research behind two typical sources of stress: one that focuses on the work and the other that looks at relationships we have with our bosses.

The Confidence Gap.  In early 2011, career consultancy Mind Tools released a survey of workers from 131 countries. It contrasted how employees scored themselves in key skill areas required to complete their job and their overall level of happiness. They found that employees who are confident that they have the skills required to do their work were also happier by just over 11%. Mind Tools coined this finding the “confidence gap” and it makes a great deal of sense.  According to Coach Michael Ehling of Balance Coaching and Challenge Factory, standard assessment tools have shown predictable sources of stress in employees worldwide.  For roughly 18% of the workforce, being proven wrong is a dominant stressor and for another 45% the largest stressors include lack of consistency and workplace unpredictability. 

If workers do not feel that they have the skills needed to do the work expected of them, it is quite likely that they will either make errors or be asked to do something they have not done before. Employers and employees should consider how to best bridge this gap by providing employees with risk-free opportunities to focus on skills and build their confidence.

Battling with the Boss.  The number one factor cited among high performing employees who voluntarily leave organizations has to do with the relationships they had (or didn’t have) with their immediate supervisor.  Indeed, there are whole websites dedicated to providing public spaces for employees to rant about their bosses. Employees who dread heading to the office because of the relationship they have with their boss should recognize that this is a source of significant stress.  Managers and employees need to find ways to mend strained and stressful relationships in order that they feel respected, trusted and valued. 

Often personality conflicts can be resolved when employees and managers realize the cause of defensive behaviour.  The confidence gap teaches that some bosses and employees fear being proven wrong or out of control, while others may be concerned that their team act predictably and according to guidelines. The remaining 37% of the workforce may fear being rejected or that the pace of change within the organization will cause chaos. As an employee, if you can identify what your boss is most afraid of, you can often bring them onside by ensuring your actions and words reinforce that you understand their concerns and you can also express your own.

There are many formal ways to get help with workplace dynamics. Sometimes an open and candid discussion is the best way to start.  It is important that disgruntled employees identify if their source of dissatisfaction lies in tasks, teams, or both, so appropriate changes can be considered. It is also important that employees give themselves a break and realize that the way they feel now does not need to be permanent.  Our careers can weather rocky patches and employees can fall back in love with their work.

Lisa Taylor Conquers Career Challenges as the Founder of Challege Factory and columinst at Women's Post. Reach her at lisa@challengefactory.ca to test drive your next career.

Image courtesy stock.chng