You can, at least partially, scrap what we said last week about work making us miserable. Another study showed that people, particularly those involved in more highly skilled jobs, find work satisfying.

Researchers gave individuals pagers that went off several times throughout the day. Each time the pager went off, the participants were told to record their level of concentration, how happy, strong and creative they felt, and whether they would rather be doing something else. People felt more capable and satisfied at work, and more prone to apathy when relaxing at home. However, the subjects universally reported that they’d rather be doing something else while at work, and that they’d rather continue what they were doing during their leisure hours. 

A lot of the satisfaction can be linked to what is known as flow state. In flow state, people lose track of time, become unselfconscious and essentially get caught up in the moment. It is a state where we are fully involved in what we are doing, and one that makes people feel more satisfied.

Beyond the pure satisfaction of being happy at work, it seems that, when work makes you happy, you are better at it. Being happy at work makes you more productive.  Those who are happy also work better with coworkers, are more likely to fix problems instead of complaining, take fewer sick days and are more creative. 

What qualities are most likely to make someone happy and satisfied at work? Money, surprisingly, was not a huge factor in job satisfaction (unless you are paid hourly). People are happiest in jobs where they feel they are making a contribution, where they fit into the culture and where they feel confident of their abilities.

Photo: meddygarnet