Thursday, January 07, 2010

Work (DIS)Satisfaction in the US

Did you read or hear about the new statistics on Work (DIS)Satisfaction in the US released this week? Check it out!

I am a colleague of Laura Berman Fortgang and authorized program facilitator for her Now What? program. Today I received Laura's latest newsletter and asked if I could share this information about growing job dissatisfaction in America.

Anyone who lived through the depression might have a good belly laugh at these statistics because earlier generations did not always have the luxury of being happy in their jobs--they did what they had to do because they had to. Happiness was not part of the equation.

HOWEVER, for the past few decades, job satisfaction has mattered but never more than during the 90's when the economy was good and people had choices as to where to work and how much to get paid. In the 90's you had to keep employees happy to keep them!

NOW, and in the last 9 years since 9/11, we have seen a progressive dip in satisfaction.

People are making more and more concessions to stay employed knowing the economy is not good and the job market is tough. More of their wages are going to pay for their health insurance and other benefits. They are seeing flat or no pay raises. Furthermore, something that the news reports did not account for was how many people are working harder and carrying more responsibility as more and more of their co-workers were being laid off.

At the core, however, as someone who works with people looking for the next horizon in their career, I find that there are other core reasons why work is not working.

In the recent movie, "Up In the Air", George Clooney's character, an HR rep who fires folks, said it so well when he said to someone who was losing his job: "How much did they first pay you to give up on your dream?"


In America, we are known for people having the freedom to pursue their dreams and think big, but often, people give up on their dream. Granted, sometimes it's for very practical reasons but our culture doesn't really support people's dreams in most workplaces. The bottom line rules, not the growth or satisfaction of the employee. We tell our kids and students to 'follow their dreams' and then, when they do, we ask them: "Well, how are you going to make a living at that?"


People also don't take responsibility for their own growth.Work satisfaction doesn't come from what you do but WHO you get to be when you are doing your job. IF you don't like who you get to be at your job, it is your responsibility to find ways to change that EVEN if your actual job dscription does not change.

People start coasting. Their life works well enough and they don't want to 'mess with what's working'. But is it really working? Dissatisfaction can set in so easily when we allow ourself to go unchallenged.

People allow their work drudgery to follow them home. It is possible to improve your life even if you can't improve your work. Instead of letting our work drudgery follow us home, we can invest in our private life and create a happiness that can make work palatable. Invest in creating family memories, indulge in a hobby, 'date' your spouse or partner, take classes, enrich your life!

People can find other opportunities, even in a tough economy. HEY! Then the obvious---gain the courage to look for other work! Invest in your worth as an employee with training or another degree or try your own biz if you can stomach it and bank roll it.

No one promised us we'd be happy at work, but you deserve to be. In other words, it's exactly what to aim for and yet no one is going to hand it to you. CREATE IT!


Reprinted with permission from Laura Berman Fortgang. Originally published in The Now What?® Newsletter,Volume Three Issue Bonus #1, January 7, 2010

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Monday, January 04, 2010

No Time to Read This? Read This

Many of us use one system or another, or a hybrid-type system to manage the multiple tasks on our over-flowing plate. In this post written by Sue Shellenbarger for the Wall Street Journal Online on December 08, 2009, she analyzes three of the widely known time management systems and shares her personal experience from a brief trial using each method. In no particular order, Ms. Shellenbarger reports on David Allen's Getting Things Done; Francesco Cirillo's The Pomodoro Technique; and, FranklinCovey's Focus program. Although I've been helping people manage their productivity, focus and performance for years and have heard of two of the three she analyzed, I admit that I haven't studied any of the systems nor had any first-hand experience with any of them. The technique I use and help others incorporate into their SuperBusy lives is intuitive from my life experiences and that of the many clients I've had the privilege to coach over the years. So, as I read the descriptions and analysis I am honored to know that The Priority Pro utilizes many of the concepts and strategies that I didn't even know these experts have designed. What validation!! As I continue to hone my methods, maybe someday there will be a widely known method with my name attached but until then, I continue to be available to help the SuperBusy and to encourage people to use what works for them!

No Time to Read This? Read This