SURVEY SAYS: Loving Your Job

A recent study found that for some workers, the ‘honeymoon’ is over after the first year of work.

However, that study and another one show the longer a person stays on a job, the more pleased they are with it.

Last week, I asked NewsDash readers, “Do you love your job; has your love for your job rollercoastered over the years, and who do you think is responsible for keeping you happy on the job?”

More than three in 10 (30.2%) of responding readers say they love their jobs, while nearly three in 10 (27%) chose “’Love’ is a strong word,” indicating maybe they like their jobs. Another 30.2% indicated they sometimes love their jobs, and 12.7% do not love their jobs.

The majority (80.9%) of respondents say their love for their job has rollercoastered over the years, and 19.1% say it has not.

Less than 2% say their employer is responsible for keeping them happy on their job; 32.8% say it is up to them; and 65.6% say it is a combination of them and their employers.

Comments from readers explained why they love their jobs or why they don’t, and quite a few offered up factors that contribute to loving your job. Several said it was all about our own attitude. Editors’ Choice goes to the reader who said: “As you grow in your job, things change, as things change, your love or hate for the job changes. I think on any given day you can love or hate your job, depending on circumstances. However, until you reach that magical time of life when you can retire at any time, you must continue working at your job.” 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey!

Verbatim 

Can't love a job without feeling supported.

I loved my job in Health & Welfare, but then my role changed to Retirement and this new area has taken a while to grow on me. Company is still great, co-workers are great, so I hang in there.

Being a compliance manager, loving my job depends on the day. If everyone is doing theirs I love it. When I find errors or other department personnel are complaining; not so much.

I have always loved my job. That is the only reason I have stayed here for so many years.

As you grow in your job, things change, as things change, your love or hate for the job changes. I think on any given day you can love or hate your job, depending on circumstances. However, until you reach that magical time of life when you can retire at any time, you must continue working at your job.

it's a daily challenge yet something I can keep up with, mostly.

do what you love and then you will love what you do

I have to take responsibility for loving my job, no one else is going to. Just like any relationship, you can't push it all off on the other party.

I love my job...when I can avoid the micromanaging and passive aggressive leadership.

I have a question for those that claim to "love" their job. If you won the lottery today, and you were financially set for the rest of your life, would you still go to work every day for "free" because you don't need the money and you just "love" your job? If the answer is yes, I'd say you're either crazy or lying, or maybe you do really love your job. #Blessed

Sometimes a love/hate relationship. I have been here 25 years and it is bit a like a marriage -- I am now intimately familiar with all the good and the bad. It is a lot of work, exhausting, sometimes frustrating, often very rewarding and I love it.

Verbatim (cont.)

it's all about attitude - if you like being there, then you can learn/be taught everything else - if you don't have the right attitude, neither you nor your employer are going to be able to "teach" that

Abraham Lincoln said that a person is as happy as they want to be. I say that if it doesn't come from within, it just will not happen. Therefore, make it happen -- life is just too short.

If you do what you love, it doesn't feel like work!

Used to love it. An inept boss has completely ruined that, unfortunately.

I once had a friend who said "When I'm not glad to be back at work after a vacation, it’s time to find a new job." Good advice!

A bout with cancer (from which I am thankful to have fully recovered) taught me that even if you love your job, work is not the most important thing in life.

Best job I have ever had, but there are always areas that can be better.

I try to reserve the word "love" for things of more importance, but I sincerely really like what I do. Of course, there are rollercoaster moments, but overall it's good. I work for a truly great company, have a strong relationship with my team, and do work that I enjoy, so...from a work standpoint, it doesn't get much better than that!

I like working, but I don't love it. I reserve the word love for how I feel about people.

My relationship with my client is the reason for loving my job.

The house burned, the dog died, the wife left, my truck was stolen and the jug is empty - might as well go to work today. Hell yes, I love my job!

Verbatim (cont.)

if you are an experienced, dedicated professional and it is clear your employer doesn't care about you or what you bring to the job and only want you to pump out an excessive amount of low quality work it can really bring you down.

If I don't love my job, it's incumbent upon me to find one that I do.

I love my job and the day I dread getting out of bed in the morning to come here is when I start looking for another job. I've learned that staying in a job you hate is toxic. Yes there are people who annoy me or make bad decisions, but ultimately how happy I am rests with me.

A good manager makes all the difference in the world. Even in a bad situation, having a great boss will keep you motivated to stay.

I love my profession, but not my job. And being 30% below market compensation really stings.

I'm fortunate to work for a company that has accomplished year over year growth for the majority of the 10 years I've been employed here. With growth comes career opportunities and real challenges that have kept me engaged. Additionally I work for a great people leader who I'm aligned with, in how our plans should work for our participants. Have there been some lows - of course, but overall I couldn't be happier with what we've accomplished and where we're headed.

Year 1 - new and scary Year 2 - mastery of job functions Year 3+ being taken for granted

The tasks of any job can be love or hate, but overall job satisfaction is my responsibility.

I worked at my former company for 11 1/2 years and was pretty much unhappy most of the time. I've been at my present company for just over a year, and I absolutely love it! I never thought I'd ever be able to say that I loved my job, but dreams can come true!

My relationship with my direct supervisor is as influential in keeping me happy on my job as my own attitude.

Verbatim (cont.)

First and foremost you, but when your ideas and initiatives fall on deaf ears with (new) leadership and you can't do anything to prove yourself, it's time to move on.

The job is great! Government compliance is the problem!

While I love what I do, I also strongly feel that the company you work for has to have a passion and drive for what they do as well whether it is manufacturing widgets and gadgets, in the service industry or whatever. If that drive and passion isn't apparent, then working there becomes tiresome, dull, and boring. On the bright side, my "clients" are the employees of the company and they usually make it all worthwhile even when management is difficult.

The single reason I love my job is the pension I'll receive after my tenth anniversary....one year, two months, 18 days. But who's counting?

Your direct supervisor/boss controls your happiness. Is the person a micro manager or does someone give you the opportunity to take control? And a person's happiness can change overnight as supervisors move around.

I enjoy my job and believe I am doing something to help other people in keeping their retirement and welfare plans in legal compliance. However, my job is just that: a job. I do it to support my real life, which is what I do when I am NOT sitting at my computer thinking about ERISA.

Your attitude toward your job depends a lot upon who you are working for.

The two things you can control are your attitude and your effort. In a proper work environment if you can do that the rest should take care of itself. Positivity can be infectious but sometimes being positive is easier said than done.

After 16yrs I have experienced many roller coaster rides, but somehow I always forget the bad stuff every other Friday

Feelings about my job can depend on the day. One minute I want to work forever. The next I want to storm out and never look back. My boss has expressed the same sentiment.

 

NOTE: Responses reflect the opinions of individual readers and not necessarily the stance of Asset International or its affiliates.

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