Uplifting your job satisfaction

Job satisfaction is relative and can be described in many different ways. In its most common sense, it is simply how satisfied a person is with his or her job or if he or she likes a job and its related aspects. There are several multi-faceted mental and emotional responses to one's job that matter too.

The above notwithstanding, job discontentment is something that afflicts people of all ages and across different income groups. That some people may harbour higher degree of dissatisfaction notwithstanding, the numbers of discontented lot is rising regularly. And this ought to be a point of concern. Therefore, the pertinent question is, “How can employee dissatisfaction be precluded?” In other words, if you happen to be discontented at work, what should you do?

First and foremost, you need to understand that job satisfaction is of different categories – innate, acquired and comprehensive. Innate job satisfaction is of intrinsic nature and sets in when employees think through only the kind of work they perform and different tasks that collectively constitute their work. Acquired job satisfaction is of extrinsic nature and is visible when employees cogitate over their various working conditions like workplace environment, pay and allowances, colleagues and even bosses. A mishmash of innate and acquired job satisfaction is what is known as comprehensive job dissatisfaction and since it has several contributory factions, its very intensity can be rather strong. The dissimilarity between innate and acquired job satisfaction leads to viewing jobs from different perspectives. If the dissatisfaction is stems from the kind of work being done, the solution per se will have to different vis-à-vis one generated by the conditions of work.

It goes without saying that your contentment level is nothing but a state of mind that is influenced by your hopes and expectations too. Therefore job satisfaction is also contingent on what you look in a job or what you require of a job. However, the core issue is one of optimising your job satisfaction levels. Some methods to do so are:

· Strive to know yourself better: You should know what matters to you and what is not of much significance. It is necessary that you identify assignments that appeal to you; and be absolutely unambiguous about your expectations from your work. It is always better to jot them down in a diary so that you are able to discern precisely your requirements while selecting a job or career.

· Get to know about jobs that converge with your aspirations: You need to know details about different careers and professions so that you can identify which gels with your outlook and personality. Today, there are several tools and tests available to do that.

· Have pragmatic work aspirations:  Comprehensive job satisfaction is actually a compromise or a type of adjustment. There is no job that can offer you full satisfaction or nil dissatisfaction. Even the best of jobs will have some element of dissatisfaction. And given the intense competition that exists today and the fact that the number of people out to get jobs far exceeding the openings available, no management can be expected to administer your dissatisfaction. It is you and you alone who has to take necessary steps in this regard.

· Don’t let discontent linger on: Dissatisfaction of any type should be allowed to persist. Your very outlook and interest towards your work is gauged by the degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction that you possess. If job dissatisfaction persists for long, the result could be disastrous; you could be taken ill and even lose your job. Workplace issues invariably arise because of discontent since mental states of people prompt unusual behaviour. Therefore, it is inescapable to find an answer to the vexed problem of job dissatisfaction at the earliest.

· Take help from a mentor or counsellor: A professional help will give you an unbiased and unprejudiced opinion. You will thus receive independent recommendations and suggestions that will help you in overcoming any dissatisfaction that you may be having or likely to have.

· View your nature & conditions of work differently: The type of work that you are doing vis-à-vis other factors like remuneration, colleagues, bosses, organisation itself and general working environment, etc. If it is the type of work that is prompting dissatisfaction, perhaps going in for a change of career will be appropriate. However, if the working conditions are causing you to be dissatisfied, sitting across the table to resolve issues with your management will help. If things still do not get resolved, may be a job change will help.

· Glance back at your career path to gauge your progress: When you view all your advancements, a sense of accomplishment will be there. Such a feeling will motivate you to take dissatisfactions in the correct spirit because of brighter days that lie ahead.

· Relook at your principles and standards: Your principles and standards constitute your values and it is you who can determine what matter most to you. An honest response to the subject needs to be found by introspection; the question that you need to put to yourself is, “How important is my job and career to me?” Once you can come out with a candid answer, you can then have an appropriate outlook of your job contentment or discontentment.

You have to learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want. The secret of success is making your work your holiday-break. Have you ever heard of anybody being dissatisfied while on a holiday?