Career wellbeing is the foundation of a fulfilling life.
Think about the most successful people you know. If you ask them about their success and inquire as to the specifics of what they do from one day to the next, a striking commonality is bound to appear.
The most successful people love what they do to the point that it doesn’t really feel like work anymore. That’s the essential core of career wellbeing.
Distilled to its barest essence, it comes down to enjoying what you do every day and finding purpose in your work. Rather than viewing work as merely a means to a paycheck, career wellbeing means genuinely liking your job and feeling fulfilled by your role.
This concept is often misunderstood, as many believe that the key to wellbeing is working less. While reducing excessive workloads is essential, Gallup research shows that the quality of the work experience has a far greater impact on wellbeing than simply working fewer hours.
The Impact of Career Wellbeing
People with high career wellbeing are more than twice as likely to be thriving in their overall lives compared to those with low career wellbeing. When you enjoy your work, it becomes a positive and motivating part of the larger tapestry of your life—a source of growth, challenge, and fulfillment.
You get better at it, naturally increasing your productivity and satisfaction over time, which creates a virtuous cycle of engagement and success.
A fulfilling career offers more than just financial rewards. It also provides social connections, opportunities for growth, and a sense of purpose. Even if people didn’t need to work for financial reasons, studies show that most would still choose to work because of the value it brings to their lives. Meaningful work gives life structure, a sense of belonging, and opportunities to develop one’s talents.
Managing Career Wellbeing and Avoiding Burnout
While career wellbeing is vital, burnout can quickly undermine it. Burnout is often caused by factors like unfair treatment, unclear expectations, lack of support from managers, or an unmanageable workload. Addressing these issues is crucial, as burnout negatively impacts both career wellbeing and overall quality of life. Employees experiencing burnout are more likely to quit, perform poorly, and report low levels of wellbeing.
Leaders play a significant role in ensuring career wellbeing. They can help by understanding employees’ strengths, providing support, and making sure their roles are well-aligned with their talents. When managers become coaches who empower their teams, they help foster a culture where career wellbeing can flourish.
In short, career wellbeing isn’t just about working less—it’s about working better, finding fulfillment, and thriving at what you do every day.
Practical Steps to Improve Career Wellbeing
From a practical standpoint, there are three things you can do right now, starting today, that will help transform your workplace from a location where your employees gather to work for you, and into a career wellbeing machine where corporate objectives align with employee passions to create an environment that everyone is excited to be in.
First, to the extent that it’s possible, transform your role from manager to coach and nurture your employees. Find what they’re most passionate about when it comes to working for you and turn them loose on it.
Second, identify managers from among your ranks who are working against the goal of improving employee career wellbeing and either retrain them to get them onboard, or get rid of them. The sooner you do one or the other, the better off you’ll be.
And finally, use a robust employee recognition program, paired with increased employee autonomy to help drive increases in employee satisfaction and engagement. This will necessarily mean getting to know your employees better so you can make genuine gift selections, and if you’re struggling for a place to get started, this year, gift sets are incredibly popular.