Event planner, carpenter, IT consultant, general manager, clergy, and physical therapist are several jobs that have been associated with the highest levels of happiness. And for 2023, research shows that the happiest careers you should consider include: accountant, marketing consultant, information security analyst, designer, human resources manager, software engineer, and financial advisor.
Some people believe that many young people do not know what they want and that is why they are either unemployed or cannot hold down a job for long. But the reality is that youth refuse to be tied to a job that brings little or no satisfaction.
Like millions of people worldwide, they are in pursuit of fulfilment and want to create real impact. Researchers argue that meaningful work not only fosters a better understanding of self and the world, but also encapsulates greater good motivations to positively influence the world.
Whereas individuals might focus merely on financial remuneration, others believe that good organisations propel national development by prioritising corporate social responsibility (CSR). Employees experience psychological meaningfulness when they realise that they are making a difference through their jobs. This results in greater employee commitment, a higher rate of employee retention and morale, as well as the achievement of organisational goals.
It’s no wonder why educator Makiba Ward cannot get enough of volunteerism. She finds meaning in unpaid work and is the founder and president of Youth Arise Antigua. Ward believes that young people’s involvement in community work instils empathy and discipline and fosters networking, advocacy, and leadership skills that help to initiate real change.
Youth Arise Antigua engages in charitable initiatives such as feeding the poor from soup kitchens and beach clean-ups, as well as beautification projects at primary and secondary schools.
It would be remiss to examine the topic of meaningful work without discussing the significance of physical resources—the things we use daily on the job. Their absence can fuel disengagement and cripple organisational progress.
As thriveatwork.org highlighted, “Job resources are protective factors in and of themselves because they make work more positive and meaningful…[and] help people to cope with their work demands and other organisational stressors…
“The value of job resources to mental health at work is more obvious when they are low or missing. Jobs that have low resources are a source of stress and have been linked to significantly higher rates of both physical illnesses and mental illness (including substance use, depression and anxiety). Consequently, they have also been linked to increased rates and costs of workers’ compensation claims and absenteeism.”
One of the major Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to promote greater levels of productivity and decent work for all men and women by 2030. Despite its significance to development, the National Youth Policy noted that employee engagement remains a major challenge in Antigua and Barbuda.
Recognising the pivotal role ICTs (information and communication technologies) play in a country’s social, economic and environmental advancement, young people in Antigua and Barbuda identified the lack of internet and high-speed internet as major challenges they experience in workplaces which are in dire need of infrastructural development.
Psychosocial resources such as social support, self-esteem, and mastery, are also critical in healthy environments that house meaningful jobs. The American Psychological Association described these resources as “the skills, beliefs, talents, and individual personality factors that influence how people manage stressful events”.
Making employees aware of their value is essential. Studies show that employee recognition coincides with increased self-esteem and is most effective when the following conditions exist: a robust organisational support, psychological understanding of lauding workers’ performance, and the application of employee recognition principles.
No one wants to feel like he or she is working in vain in any establishment. Despite people’s intrinsic passion to work hard, sustainability becomes a challenge when there is little or no emphasis on recognising and appreciating employees.
While praise and public recognition make work more meaningful, the desire to move to the next level is also vital. Why? Because monotony counteracts engagement. Researchers noted that extrinsic rewards, like promotions, lead to increased proficiency, especially when salary serves as a yardstick for employees’ organisational value.
Meaningful jobs make room not only for upward mobility and but also mastery. In order to develop the skills and competencies that will enable employees to perform at optimal level, they must know what is expected of them. Author Lieke Pijnacker added that role clarity is not limited to one’s responsibilities but also includes those of colleagues. She insisted that clarity “is an essential precursor of productivity, and a lack thereof can cause stress and confusion”.
Meaningful jobs promote well-being, which is “a whole-life concept” that Professor J Lee Whittington said, “encompasses five interdependent life arenas: work, family, personal, community, and spiritual. What happens in any one arena inevitably impacts our attitudes, moods, behaviours, and experiences in the other arenas.” So, it’s important that we always strive to find a balance.