What is Job Satisfaction?

When employees resign, they often cite that they’ve been offered more money as a reason for them leaving. The question I keep asking myself is to what extent is that truly the motivating factor? It may not be as big a factor as we would like to believe it is.

It’s far easier to justify that so and so left just because they wanted more money. This thought gives us comfort because it removes the blame from us as owners, managers, and employers. We simply cannot compete. Life goes on.

But there’s a far less comfortable answer to deal with.

Are they really seeking more pay? Or are they simply saying, ‘the rewards here are not worth the pay’? That’s a very different reason and one that feels far less easy on our minds.

While it might be true in some cases that someone simply cannot afford a living on what they are making, it’s not true as often as it’s used. And as much as the person stating it might believe it, they may be fooling themselves to some extent. Instead of examining why they are unhappy, it’s easier to use money as a catch all reason.

To be truly fulfilled at your job doesn’t come from a dollar sign for most people. It comes from a deeper sense of ‘belonging’ and building something ‘bigger’ than themselves.

So why do people chase that bigger salary?

Because they aren’t happy with their current work in one way or another.

The need for immediate gratification is something many people struggle with, and the workplace is no different. The ability to trust that the rewards are coming and continue to work towards a future goal is something that needs to be fostered.

What if:

  • If they were excited about the company’s direction and their impact on it?
  • If they learned and grew at a pace that exceeded their expectations?
  • If they felt appreciated and like they mattered?
  • If we took the time to find out what they really wanted, guided them with what’s reasonable to expect within a reasonable time frame, and then delivered on that promise?
  • If we managed expectations and followed through on what we said we would?

If these things were done well, how many people would leave their jobs?

To what extent are we really checking up on every one of our team to ensure they are thrilled about being there? That they love the people they work with? That they love what they are doing and learning?

Do we have a team or do we have employees? Let’s be sure not to take this question lightly. Ever.

If you have a team, you are committing to teaching them not only how to do their jobs but how life works; that life will pay based on what they deserve and not just simply for showing up. And it’s your job to follow through on your promises and reinforce patience. Maybe everything isn’t clear today, or tomorrow, or maybe it takes years to finally come to fruition. You are promising them that instant gratification isn’t the answer that will get them the furthest and being a part of the team is going to pay off tenfold with time because you’re building something incredible together.

It’s hard to leave a job that gets you excited every day, regardless of what other job offers you get. If you really love what you do and you see the future looking bright in continuing to be a part of your organization, you will not likely leave.

If you feel as though both what you are doing matters and what your organization is doing matters, you develop a pride in your work. Feeling as though you are part of something bigger than yourself and cycling that throughout your team creates an incredible work atmosphere and job fulfilment.

So how do begin to build such an incredible team?

There are so many pieces involved, but if you feel like you’ve got the right people ‘on the bus’, so to speak, the next step is to begin to listen- really listen- to them and empower them. One of the easiest, most structured ways to start or accelerate this process is to hold a good team retreat.

We have an entire article on Team Retreats (you can find it here), but the overview is to create a safe place where every voice is heard, decisions made are followed through on, and every topic, resolved or not, is revisited with the team over time.

Even if your team is small, your business can’t move in the same direction without touching base with your team on their dreams, goals, and pain points. If you don’t know where you’re headed or have the right people on the bus, you’re not going to wind up where you want to be. Multiply this by years or even decades of a team not moving in the same direction, and you can see why business owners and employees end up unhappy and unfulfilled. 

If your end goal is to create a business that is wildly successful, you need happy people that feel safe and as though they’re part of something bigger than themselves. You can take the first step in creating happy people by empowering them and including them in the planning process. Follow through and not only taking your team seriously but also implementing those ideas are what empowers people to want to be part of the team. Failure to follow through causes your team to lose momentum and want to stop contributing. Team retreats are the platform that can build relationships, establish trust, and create a successful business full of happy people. 

Something to keep in mind every day of our lives is ‘why am I here?’ and ‘why am I proud?’. These answers will serve you and your team well in helping you build something truly incredible.

If you would help organizing your team retreat, need a facilitator, or just need a sounding board, you can reach out to us anytime.