Why am I Vested in the Work that I Do?

Do you begin your workday rolling out of bed, completing your routine and think to yourself…I am lucky to be in my job and I am making a difference? Though I may not know all of you that are reading this piece, I can say 90% of would say no. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that you don’t enjoy the work that you do, but more of you do not feel your work is meaningful.

A 2022 survey from BBC showed that 70% of employees say their personal sense of purpose is defined by their work, and when that work feels meaningful, they perform better. [1] Gone are the days when an employee’s drive in their position is for a higher paycheck. Sure, pay is important, and you should strive for continuous growth in your profession but pay is not everything.

We as humans spend more time at work/working than at home and when COVID-19 threw the world into a tailspin, many employees sat down and reflected on whether their jobs were meaningful. Seems that is a valid question to ask yourself at a point where your living space has since become your office, board room and meeting space. We all were or still are at a point where our personal and professional lives blur lines into our working spaces, so it makes sense that being happy at work carries over to happiness at home.

Rochelle Butler and I tabling at a community outreach event.

I am one that falls into that 70% and needs to be able to see the difference I am making to be satisfied in my work. I will admit when I first began my work at SJVCEO I didn’t know what I was working towards but knew that I stood behind the organization’s mission. Now closing in on 10 years at the organization, I realize from the stories that are told how my work is impacting those out in the communities that we represent.

To close, make sure to take time to realize what it is that you want out of your work. For some that is making as much as possible while for others it is finding meaning in the work that you do. There is no wrong answer as we are all on our own journeys within our careers.

[1] https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220902-the-search-for-meaning-at-work