Ph.D., Communication/Relationship Coach, Etiquette Expert, Founder of the Academy of Social Competency.
As Mother Teresa famously said, “To work without love is slavery.” She was speaking about those who work without satisfaction and pleasure. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report, employee engagement rates are at just 23%, and most employees don’t find their work meaningful, don’t feel hopeful about their future or don’t think their lives are going well. These numbers are shocking, given that an average person spends about 35 to 40 years working. A persistent dissatisfaction with the job may predispose individuals to psychological maladjustments.
Multiple studies have shown that unhappiness is associated with a declining immune system, while job satisfaction is associated with an elevated natural killer cell immunity. On the emotional level, unhappy employees will more likely feel discouraged and experience feelings of low self-worth while at work, culminating in frustration, stress and burnout. If left untreated, these symptoms may eventually lead to depression or anxiety, particularly when individuals cannot keep their frustrations from spilling over, disturbing their home and social life. An Australian National University analysis found that employees in poor-quality jobs demonstrate even worse mental health than those who are unemployed.
The only seemingly effective solution here is to start looking for a better job instead of enduring the one that you don’t love. Hence, a continually high turnover in search of the ideal workplace, which should generate excitement, and ensure self-expression, and unlock potential, and contribute to self-confidence, and maintain emotional balance, and, and, and… However, nothing is ideal, and very soon, the employee who realizes this truth has no choice but to accept the fact or abandon the search for another illusion. Thus a vicious cycle, repeating over and over again.
However, there is another solution! In simple terms, if you cannot change the circumstances, then change your attitude toward them; in psychological terms, this is referred to as shifting the locus of control from external to internal. A locus of control is the extent of an individual’s belief, or confidence, about their ability to influence the outcomes of events in their lives (internal control orientation) as opposed to external factors that are beyond the individual’s control (external control orientation). In other words, a locus of control is a habit of attributing success or failure either to one’s own efforts, qualities, knowledge, skills, etc. or to external factors. Ideally, the locus of control should be internal to see oneself as an agent of change.
For an employee with an external locus of control, the job environment is never stable and safe:
• Their self-esteem fluctuates from underestimated to overestimated.
• Their job satisfaction depends on authorities, colleagues, clients, tasks, outcomes, etc.
• They are either too involved and responsible for everything or easily lose interest and become irresponsible.
• They easily get anxious and unhappy and feel unappreciated, controlled and criticized.
• They believe that finding a new job might help them achieve satisfaction; however, without changing their attitude, they will face the same problem again and again.
When the locus becomes internal, an employee gets a completely different perception of reality:
• They are not looking for external approval or appreciation, being able to self-evaluate their achievements.
• They know that it is not the workplace that graces them, but they make it attractive, valuable and satisfactory.
• They are realistic about their own strengths and weaknesses, abilities and limitations.
• They take responsibility for their actions/inactions.
• Their motivation is stable, and they are open to challenges as a source of self-development and realizing their potential.
How can you shift from an external to an internal locus of control?
1. The first step toward a change is to admit the problem—namely, to realize that your satisfaction and happiness don’t depend on your job, people, events, etc. but on your attitudes, thoughts and feelings. For this, examine your habitual reactions:
• How often do you feel like a victim, meaning indirectly that you have no strengths, skills or creativity to act differently?
• How often do you think you don’t have a choice, meaning indirectly that you have no strengths, skills or creativity to act differently?
• How often do you say to yourself that nothing helps, meaning indirectly that you have no strengths, skills or creativity to act differently?
2. The second step is to take responsibility for finding a purpose, personal growth and a foundation for the future in your current job. This helps build a conviction that things are happening for a reason and that it’s in your power to turn them into meaningful experiences.
• What soft skills do this workplace’s challenges help you acquire, develop or upgrade?
• What professional skills do this workplace’s challenges help you acquire, develop or upgrade?
• What skills should you acquire, develop or upgrade at this workplace to become unique, independent and irreplaceable?
3. The third step is to stop generalizing—people tend to perceive negativity as a whole rather than divide it into elements or factors and identify which of those have negative or positive implications:
• What people, situations and tasks make you feel negative at your workplace?
• How can you minimize the impact of people, situations or tasks that make you feel negative at your workplace?
• What people, situations or tasks make you feel positive at your workplace, and how can you maximize their presence?
4. The fourth step is to implement a change, making your workplace more attractive, interesting and fulfilling. Do not expect this from your employer, since many companies focus more on performance than motivation. Take it into your own hands.
• Find out the significance of your work in a broader sense and rejoice in your contribution.
• Be creative and try doing things differently, since repeating the same thing repeatedly is boring.
• Track your progress to feel your growth and notice your new achievements.
• Think of self-rewarding for your efforts, and celebrate small victories.
These steps are merely a starting point, as once you set them in motion, your internal locus of control will drive you forward without the need for external nudges. Do not wait long; start your journey toward personal satisfaction and happiness now!
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