To ask if you're happy/content at work/ with your career/job choice and why?

[cantbejustme]

Hi!

I suspect it may be a me problem (a little bit)

But I'm wondering if anyone feels happy at work? And what makes it that way?

The only jobs I've felt happy in are ones that were min wage and felt like I could move onto the next one whenever I wanted. I think its something about being 'locked in for me. My 'career' is pretty miserable tbh but I need to earn a certain amount to pay bills etc (its certainly not loads but couldnt just get another job at the drop of a hat).

So arrange you happy/ like your job/ have liked a job. And what's the secret?

Thank you!

Work always has hard and unpleasant bits. Broadly I like what I do because I like the people I work with. For me, it's about the people I spend time with: if I like them (enough) and we are all working to the same outcome with respect and understanding of each other, that is amazing. Toxic people = get out of that job. It's also (for me) about feeling like what I am doing makes a difference / is valued. I have not had a straight career -- have done a wide variety of jobs in a wide variety of industries so have learnt it is absolutely not about what I am doing for the most part (and there are always bits I hate).

Like PP, I would say that regardless of how happy people seem to be in their jobs, they will always have some bad days! Toxic people are poisonous and need taking down, but getting on with the people that you work with, having adequate training before you're left to your own devices, and feeling that you've done well are things that all make a huge difference!

For me personally, I find working with a lot of people very draining. I have a job in a small department, and there are days when I only see 1-4 other people, which suits me. Instead, I prefer to work with animals, so that's what I do (I work on a farm). Unlike when I was teaching, I'm not crying every day, I don't take work home with me, and I always go home feeling like I've made a difference and done my best. My job means that living in a big town or city is unsuitable, which is fine by me. Also, when I do go outside my little farm bubble, and people find out what I do, they always have lots of interesting questions about it! Given that farmers are sometimes demonised, despite the fact that we put food on people's tables, I think that it is important to take the time to teach people, and to learn from others, so that is what I hope that I do!

I am because I’m well paid, I find the work interesting but not too demanding, I work flexibly and I like my co workers and work culture. But worth noting I spent about 15 years working excessively hard in much trickier environments to get here.

I like the money and my colleagues. But in my previous career (I switched two years ago) I was earning a lot less but I was more fulfilled and enjoyed my job far more.

I love certain aspects of my job. I'm a secondary school teacher and love working with teens - such a privilege to see them grow up and become adults in front of you. I enjoy sharing great texts with them. I appreciate the holidays and am grateful for the pension coming my way.

There are aspects that are very hard, like all jobs I imagine. I find it really difficult knowing with certainty that it is impossible to meet all the needs of the young people in the room. It is challenging to work with very dysregulated and distressed individuals who are being let down by the system. And in some, the behaviour is appalling.

Yes, I’m happy. I have a reasonably niche and sometimes misunderstood role in an industry which can feel somewhat nebulous at times but the technical aspects of the industry are fascinating if you like that kind of thing (and I do like that kind of thing) and my role itself is incredibly privileged: it gives me enormous exposure to the most senior people and their strategic decision-making, I develop a lot of high level relationships, and I have the opportunity to make my mark right in the very fabric of the company’s governance and compliance. I have flexibility and a lot of autonomy - because I’m the only person who knows a lot of the nuts and bolts of what I do all day. Plus I love that I know where all the company’s skeletons are buried! I suppose there’s a lot of job satisfaction in knowing that I’m competent and that my work is essential and that as a result I’m able to be very well paid for it.

I suppose for me the “secret” is also that I don’t have an ego, and I’m pretty good at accepting and responding to challenge. I don’t consider Work Comtesse to have any reflection on Not Work Comtesse. There might be tedious days, there might be issues with stakeholders, but I don’t take it to heart or consider it a personal affront if e.g. somebody is critical of an element of my work, or is forthright to the point of rude in expressing a view. That’s work. And that’s people: none of us are on our best days all of the time. It’s not me. I can smile, take their criticism or view on board, deconstruct it to identify what the valid points are, apply them, and then demonstrate they were actively listened to. I don’t go home in knots feeling upset or angry because I don’t think they like or respect me on a personal level, because it isn’t personal.

I am happy with my job but it’s not a career and I have no chance to try and get my career going due to children and limited to school hours and needing flexibility during school holidays.

I'm retired now but my job was also my hobby so I loved every minute. I was self employed so pretty much able to choose my clients who were all lovely. I worked hours to suit me, for nice people doing work I chose. The money was ok and bought me all I needed but didn't make me rich.

The best bits of my job were being outdoors, working with nature, doing something I loved and being able to take my dog along with me every day.

Now I'm retired and still doing my hobby every day so I suppose I've either never really worked or never really stopped working. I am a gardener through and through.

Ive tried working outside the NHS and felt right out of my comfort zone so Ive always gone back. Ive been working there for over 45 years since I left school so I suppose its what Im used to.

I like the money, the human interface and the intellectual challenge it brings. But mostly it's about making a contribution to society. Whether you're making coffee or the Chief Exec of the NHS, you are making a contribution. The thought of retirement or not working fills me with dread as I can't imagine getting up every day and not making a single contribution to society.

Like most people I expect, I'm in the middle. I like the work itself, I make a difference (sometimes), I like the people I work with. But the pay isn't great, my manager can be difficult and not very flexible, and all organisations are frustrating in terms of bureaucracy and decision making.

I think I've got an okay deal, I only know maybe one or two people who genuinely seem to love their jobs and I know a lot more who are actively unhappy at work. But I do think you should aspire to more.

Have you thought about an area of work more meaningful in some way to you? Do you know what your strengths are?

Generally, my work is varied, interesting, very manageable and I really like my colleagues and working environment (I work at a university). I have autonomy and flexibility.

I used to be a school teacher and that job was so incredibly unmanageable in terms of workload, the work environment was toxic, zero autonomy etc. I suppose that I know how lucky I am to get out and have a second fulfilling career (though not quite as well paid).

I never take my current job for granted even on the boring days. I'll take a bit of boredom over the hellscape of teaching any day!

Just to add a bit of contrast, I also work in school and love it. My days are varied, it's very rewarding, my pupils are great, plus the money is good.

I love my job and I am very content in my career as in I have no plans to progress any further any time soon.

The secret for me is that I like my colleagues, they are all decent and pull their weight and I have massive respect for my line manager. I genuinely like her.

I’m a head of. I work 4 days a week and manage my own time (mainly) I am well paid, I like my colleagues and the board - they treat me with dignity and respect.

I am also an elected member - I get a lot of abuse online both directly and indirectly - for the princely sum of 10k a year - from illiterate grunts of people. I would give that up - but I believe I am doing a good job, despite that!

I have a huge amount of flexibility and autonomy, I care about the point of the job in terms of social purpose, its varied in terms of people i get to meet. It pays ok for qualifaction level/effort. I can cope with the responsibility level. Its also comfortable/pleasant work. Im not doing night shifts, or getting soaked, or physically knackering my body, or in danger, im not stressed my mistake killed people.

Its not my dream job but I think that woukd have been too stressful for me to manage anway.