A research says that ‘Happy Employees’ are 12 per cent more productive than unhappy ones. But this happiness is a matter of choice that you make when you accept the Job offer. Before you accept the job offer there are a lot many aspects which can trigger your happiness hormone and will make you feel satisfied with the work you do on daily basis.
Identifying these components which are more important than the ‘Salary’ itself is crucial because they surely gratify your inner being. If you earn million bucks but end up in a situation where you have to hear tantrums of your family and friends, you will somewhere down the line feel unhappy. If you earn better than everyone around you suffer from job insecurity, you will live in constant fear of out-performing even if your health gets affected.
This makes ‘salary’ an important factor for taking up a job but not the sole factor for grabbing an opportunity. Do not let the digits of salary become your surviving angel, rather look out for other factors which will help you live a smooth professional life. After all, the ‘office space’ is your second home and it must make you feel proud every time you enter the premises.
1. Does the ‘Job’ fit your personality?
José Ortega y Gasset once said that “Tell me what you pay attention to and I will tell you who you are.” And he is very correct in a way that it is important to identify your personality for living a happy and content life. When you do some task which does not matches with your personality type, you will feel down in the mouth.
People often take up the job in which they later feel uncomfortable and agitated. They face such issues because the work demands those traits which they feel are not their cup of tea. For an introvert, it is very difficult to go out in the market and sell the products to random people. They might find it difficult to perform and will feel dissatisfied with the nature of work.
So before you apply in any job, carefully check the ‘Job Profile’ and then move ahead. If you find the job monotonous (in case you are an extrovert) or adventurous (if you are not someone who seek adventure) then do not take up the job for the sake of money. Later, you will repent on the wrong decision made and will end up putting efforts in the new Job search.
Take a look at the personality types mentioned below and identify your personality type. It will help you find a way for your future and decide which job best suits your personality.
2. Does the ‘Job’ offer Work-Life balance?
There is a very famous saying that goes that “You can’t do a good job, if your job is the all you do”. Take a look at the image below and try to honestly answer the questions below:
If your answer to all the above questions is a ‘NO’ then it is probably time to bring equilibrium in your work-life.
So, when the next time you look out for a job, consider the possibilities that you get a job in which you are able to maintain a balance between your work life and personal life.
A person who doesn’t get time for themselves to enjoy with family and friends are often seen to be less productive than those on the other side of the story.
It is recommended that when you decide to get associated with an organisation, check for facilities such as flexible time (it helps you manage the number of hours for work in your own convenient way). Organisation offer flexi-work time facility to enable employees respect their body clock and manage their personal chores effectively.
Another important perk is the number of working days that your organisation demands from your role. A Job which offers two-day weekend off is more likely to help you manage your personal life and save on the leave that you might end up taking on the weekdays.
3. Does the ‘Management’ value employees?
‘Management’ plays a crucial role in deciding the success of an organisation. Brands such as Tata, Wipro, Google, IBM, Facebook are valued because their management values the employees and their skills. They even go an extra mile to ensure that their employees do not make a switch easily.
For a new employee, your immediate reporting manager will represent the management culture to you. He/she will introduce you to the team and will also teach you about the organisation’s culture.
So when you go for the interview and get shortlisted by the organisation, make sure that you ask to meet for your reporting manager. Interaction with them will help you get some idea about his personality and aura. This will also ease an air of hesitation between you both before joining the organisation and avoid first day jitters.
4. Does the ‘organisation’ offer cordial Work Culture?
Work Culture is an important consideration which you must not miss upon before joining. It is the work culture sometimes for which employee(s) even trade off their salaries. They give more relevance to the positive work culture than the salary itself. Take a scenario when you go to your work place and still feel at home. What better than working in an office which boasts your morale and lets you become more productive only because of its positive vibes and ambience.
Work culture is important factor because it helps you avoid
- Fake Absenteeism
- Forced Turnover
- Poor Performance at Work
- Negativity at work
- Stress in life
If a job supports you in a way to avoid these malign aspects that makes life 98per cent simpler, then you must consider work culture your priority before accepting the Job Offer.
You can even read the reviews of employees on platforms such as ‘Glassdoor’ to find out about the work culture of an organisation. The employee reviews are the first hand source of information which reveal about the culture of the company in which you might spend the next 5 years of your career.
Many organisations have systems in place to make the Company a better place to work. Facilities such as cafeteria, play zone, relaxing zone and campus compound help employees rejuvenate when they feel stressed. A list of top 5 companies is given below. Find out what makes them stand apart from other organisations.
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
5. Does the ‘organisation’ offer long-term Growth Plan for Retention?
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
Look at the illustration given. It beautifully summarises the essence of life which states that “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” When you accept a job offer and decide to venture on a mission which will give new ray of hope to your career, make sure that you are aware of your future growth plan.
While you get interviewed, it is your prerogative to ask for your growth plan with the organisation. Remember that a job that pushes you beyond your limits that enables you grow beyond your current skill set will make you more refined and versatile.
Be it through challenging assignments, educational opportunities, or under a mentorship programme, whenever you get an opportunity to prove your mettle, do not hesitate to plunge on the opportunity.
Many organisation have job rotation programme (at top management level also), where selected few employees are chosen to perform and prove their excellence in various job roles. Those who out-perform at often promoted at the top level. Check whether your organisation also offers these opportunities.
These are some of the most valued factors which you should take into consideration when you accept the job offer. An organisation offering best salary as per your expectation might not be the best in comparison to the one that offers overall benefits.
It is more important to be a ‘Happy Employee’ to give your 100 per cent to the organisation and seek personal growth along with the organisation growth.