It is no surprise, having a job is needed for your wellbeing, but did you know that having the right kind of job is even more important? The kind of job you take on directly impacts the kind of value you create for colleagues, the society, and yourself. In the end, the synergy between your wellbeing and the job you choose can either create or destroy value for everyone involved.
Having a job is obviously important, but why exactly?
It gives a sense of direction
Having a job helps you set and start working on both personal and professional goals. It gives you a sense of direction.
It provides structure
With a job, you need to plan ahead; you need to get up on time in the morning, attend to your meetings, and sleep on time so that you can get up early again the next day. When you work, you start thinking about the days, weeks, and months that have yet to come.
It helps you build a social life
People who work usually have colleagues to interact with, and deal with many different people throughout the day. Working is beneficial to your social life, and this alone contributes to both emotional and physical health.
Achievements give you a sense of satisfaction
Achieving a goal you have set for yourself contributes greatly to your wellbeing. When you finally reach a new milestone and feel that accomplishment for yourself, you help build a better you.
It gives you respect and social status
Work helps you work on your social status, and a higher social status leads to a happier life, even more so than being wealthier! Not to say money doesn’t help too…
You make money
When you work, you make money. It’s a simple formula. That monetary reward helps support yourself and explore your interests. You can also support others, be it friends or family. Overall, making money can give a kind of freedom that not much else can bring.
It gives you a sense of purpose
This may very well be the most important factor of work. Work can give people a sense of purpose, and with it, you’re more likely to innovate and be committed.
Unfortunately, not all jobs provide that kind of motivation. Some can have a negative contribution to your wellbeing, and it’s important to draw the line somewhere to avoid them.
Some examples of unhealthy jobs:
Pointless jobs
As much as 20% of today’s workforce in the West think their own job is useless, and that number is nearly 40% among British workers. Few widespread management cultures today do nothing to help workers feel important or be productive, causing all kinds of issues.
Many workers become unable to fulfil their potential, and end up doing nearly nothing at work, leading many to be affected by boreout. Meanwhile, some people do complete ample tasks, but feel like they accomplish unimportant things, which can led to burnout.
These jobs, sometimes called bullshit jobs, are those that we are better without entirely. Money and fame are one thing, but a job without purpose can be extremely harmful to your wellbeing.
Jobs that destroy value
As counterintuitive as it sound, few jobs destroy value and negatively affect society. Many of these are some of the highest paying positions in distinct industries, like investment bankers and advertising executives. These two positions alone destroy between £7 and £12 for every single pound they earn.
What kind of job adds value to society?
The jobs that are most important to our society are often the ones we take for granted, be it caretakers or hospital cleaners. These positions, often low-paying, bring the most contribution to others; for every pound they are paid, over £9 is generated back into society. It may well be time to start paying these critical workers what they deserve: more! Thankfully, many other jobs also add value to society. Does yours?