10 tips to enjoy work

Webster describes satisfaction as, “a fulfilment of a need or want and the quality or state of being”. If you are not feeling satisfied in your job, these 10 tips will help you achieve that very important goal.

1. Recognise your co-workers for their commitment and effort. The number one motivator for people is recognition. Saying to a team-mate that you recognise his/her efforts to make your working relationship great is the best motivator you could give to her or him. Letting someone know that they have added to the team by being their best is one of the highest compliments you can give. Make sure you get some for yourself as well.
2. Share in creating a positive and emotionally comfortable working environment. Satisfaction cannot thrive in a negative environment. If you have developed a ‘downer’ work-style, where no one tries to lift their co-workers out of the doldrums, it prevents everyone from finding emotional and even physical comfort—and that will lower productivity. Keeping your environment positive helps everyone in the workplace enjoy their jobs more.
3. Make your working relationships meaningful—strive to create something worthwhile. Everyone wants to be part of something greater than they are—whether it is contributing to your company, community, or the world—doing it as a team adds depth and a sense of higher purpose to your life. This has the effect of making you feel that being with your company has helped others.
4. Be responsible for your actions. If you make a mistake own up to it sooner rather than later and always do it completely. This gets it out of the way of your business relationships and creates greater success because no one has given the problem time to fester and grow. Problems left unattended have puppies. In other words, when you are not responsible for your actions, it breeds more problems.
5. Be accountable for your commitments. When you make a promise, keep it. Not remaining faithful to your word erodes the trust necessary for a working relationship. Once you break your word, your team mates or customers may have difficulty believing that you will be there for them the next time.
6. Balance work and rewards. Trade off duties with co-workers every now and then, it will help your team-mates feel you respect their contribution. If you get recognised, make sure you also recognise other members of your team, even if they didn’t contribute as much as you. Giving them this respect will help all of you be a tighter, more respectful and efficient team.
7. Help each other grow and learn. Encourage co-workers to take care of themselves by getting educated and working on new projects. People who are not growing do not feel good about themselves and this will cause them to feel less important. When someone feels they aren’t very useful, they are not able to contribute in a positive manner.
8. Give your co-workers the opportunity to be their best. When you know your team-mate takes pride in certain tasks, support her or him in succeeding at those activities. The last thing you want to do is to make those you work with you on a daily basis feel that you don’t respect their efforts. Remember that greatness in any one area leads to greatness in all areas.
9. Understand your team’s motivation and stress. If you know that your team-mates have difficulty talking with the accountant, dealing with the phone company, or other tasks of the business, take on that responsibility. If they respond to certain forms of communication, be sure you know how they like to be communicated with and use those techniques. Trying to motivate someone in the same way you like to be motivated may not work for him or her.
10. Keep it interesting. Do nice things for no reason [for example, I keep a few little gifts stashed so I can give them to team members when they reach a milestone or have a success.] Greet your team members with enthusiasm when you see them at the end of the day and add some spontaneity to the workday with little celebrations.

Understanding the need for feeling satisfied and contributing to that necessity in your work life will make everyone in the company happy. These tips will help you maintain a fulfilling business relationship, and will prevent your team members from feeling that they, “can’t get no. satisfaction.”