On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest, how would you rate your satisfaction and fulfillment with the current work or profession you’re involved with?

If you scored below a 5 ,what’s the reason for this? We all want to be happy and satisfied with the work we do, but many people work jobs that they find no fulfillment from.

They aren’t engaged in their work responsibilities, they’re either bored or overwhelmed with stress, and they simply have no purpose or bigger vision for what they do.

So how can we find greater happiness with our career?

The book Happiness at Work: Maximizing your Psychological Capital for Success by Jessica Pryce-Jones, offers insight into how to find this happiness and how it translates into value and benefits for our work success.

She defines happiness as, “a mindset which allows you to maximize performance and achieve your potential. You do this by being mindful of the highs and lows when working alone or with others.”

It turns out that it’s in the best interest of organizations to ensure the happiness of employees. Happier employees are more successful in numerous domains such as motivation, longevity at a workplace, self-efficacy and health.

Fortunately, increasing happiness at the workplace isn’t a secret.

According to Pryce-Jones, happiness at work has five major components, referred to as the 5Cs:

1. Contribution: What a person does in the workplace and their view of it. This relates to a feeling of pride in our efforts to be effective and provide value. Having clear goals and achieving them can aid in this component.

2. Conviction: A person’s ability to stay motivated. This relates to how someone responds to adversity and whether they can remain positive and focused toward the mission of the corporation.

3. Culture: How well a person fits within the ethos and dynamic of the workplace. We all have different personalities and we want to consider how well we fit within the culture of our organization. Do you desire autonomy, or reliance on others? Do you enjoy change and variety, or a fixed system and processes?

4. Commitment: A person’s general level of engagement with their work. This pertains to the sense of purpose and meaning we have with our job. Is there a sense that you’re doing something significant and worthwhile? Do you connect with the mission and vision of your company?

5. Confidence: A person’s level of self-belief and how well they identify with their job. Are you confident in your ability and competence to do your job? Confidence can be enhanced by using positive self-talk and visual imagery.

These are a few areas to consider when it comes to how you connect with your job, and how you can develop greater productivity and effectiveness.

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” – Lou Holtz

Reference:

https://blogs.psychcentral.com/positive-psychology/

Pryce-Jones, J. (2010). Happiness at Work: Maximizing your Psychological Capital for Success, United Kingdom, Wiley-Blackwell.