Are You Happy at Work?

Various polls have recently shown that 50-80% of us are unhappy at work. I suspect the economy, increased workloads, and reduced pay and benefits have something to do with the findings.

On the other hand, I know people in a number of professions who say they are very happy at work. It may have something to do with the firm/organization they work for, the people they work with, and their life in general.

But what if your happy-meter isn’t ticking upward? What can you do to get things headed in a more positive direction? Depending on the underlying cause of your dissatisfaction, here are a few strategies you may want to consider trying:

• Volunteer for a new project outside your current area of responsibility
• Mentor a co-worker or intern
• Update your education to provide you new skills and competencies
• Transfer to a different area within the organization
• Propose you spearhead a new program you have created to help the firm meet its goals

What have you done to increase your job satisfaction at times in your career? I would love to hear your positive story.