Let’s Define Rewarding
If we sat down with twenty different people, we would get twenty different answers to the question, “Is your job rewarding?”
For some, “rewarding” is about a sense of purpose or value. It’s knowing that the thing they’re doing is the thing they were put on earth to do. Even backing off of that a bit is another definition of rewarding, when someone is able to see that their contribution to their company is valuable, their ideas listened to, their voice important.
For some, a job that’s rewarding is a job that pays well. If the effort I put in is reflected fairly (and even generously) in the compensation I receive, the job is rewarding. Sometimes it goes beyond paychecks and salaries. It’s not always about direct compensation. It can be bonus structures, trips, fringe benefits, job titles or responsibilities, or other opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t be available to them.
Others define “rewarding” as something more altruistic. They want to know that the work they’re doing, the cause they’re supporting, is making a difference. They want to change the world. They want to feel good at night knowing that they’ve contributed to the greater good.
For a majority of people, it’s probably a combination of these that ultimately make up what we imagine when we think of the word, “rewarding.” It’s important that, regardless of your definition of the word itself and whether or not you consider your job to be a rewarding job, you understand the role that you have to play in having a job that lives up to your standards.
Are you contributing equal to — or more than — you’re receiving from your job?
Employees who do “the bare minimum” rarely find themselves satisfied in their jobs. Even consider jobs that most would consider to be the worst-case-scenario of employment situations; jobs that have a reputation for being overly difficult, incredibly bureaucratic, or maybe even a little bit gross. Engaging in your workday is up to you, and few employees — if any — ever are disengaged from their jobs and rewarded by their work.
Are you quiet when you should be loud?
Are you engaging with conversation and opportunities for advancement? Are you volunteering for committees or offering feedback on a new process? Have you recommended new ideas for efficiency or customer engagement? The point is that many people stay quiet all day at work and then wonder why they feel unheard or under-appreciated. Most often, it’s because they ARE unheard, and therefore under-appreciated.
Are you working toward the right goal?
Has your boss given you a goal or a job description that you aren’t crazy about? For some people in that situation, they take the liberty of changing their role to fit their personality. “I know my boss told me to make 30 calls today, but I think I’m better at organizing files, so I’ll focus on that instead.” While this may seem like commonsense, many people find themselves in this dilemma. The job they’re in doesn’t fit the passions they have, and so they simply try to twist their job to fit their personality. This stalwart commitment to your own mission almost always ends in the end of a working relationship. If you can’t — or won’t — work toward the goal that your company has for you, you’re unlikely to describe your job as rewarding.
Wherever you’re at in your career, everyone wants something that is rewarding. Whether you’re defining that word by the amount of money you make or by the kind of impact you make, you need to engage in your work by engaging your mind. You have to give more than you take and be part of solutions by speaking up and taking action.