Is job happiness a myth?

Few people claim to be happy workers, or satisfied with their company or job.

Sudipta Dev wonders whether job happiness is a myth.


Why do some people find their jobs gratifying while others are constantly nagged by dissatisfaction at their workplace? Since most of our waking hours are spent at work, it is imperative to find out the factors that determine job happiness. Evidently, it is all about the gap between reality and expectations, but the issue is much more complicated than it appears. While job satisfaction is found to be low wherever expectations are very high, most people also believe that they can do better in other organisations. They are haunted by the grass-is-greener syndrome, and find their own work a grind. The key to job happiness is finding the right equation between one's mindset and external factors. This is of particular significance for the Indian IT/ITeS industry where job-hopping is common, notwithstanding the salary hikes and a fairly evolved HR system.


How one gets along with one's boss is an essential factor for job happiness, according to a survey conducted by Accountemps, a US-based staffing service. The survey, carried across the thousand largest companies in that country, revealed that as many as 43 percent of people rated their relationship with their manager as an important determinant of job happiness. The other factors included workload and responsibilities (24 percent), compensation and/or benefits (19 percent), relationship with co-workers (6 percent), and company performance (5 percent). According to Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Motivating Employees for Dummies, employees are most productive when they feel that their contributions are valued and their feedback is welcomed by the management. Stronger relationship with the staff is essential to keep them happy.


Another survey conducted by Prof Andrew Oswald of the University of Warwick concluded that an individual's position is a major cause of job happiness. The rank of a staff member compared with others increases his/her happiness and is a pointer to pride associated with the position.
In their celebrated book The Art of Happiness at Work, His Holiness The Dalai Lama and psychiatrist Dr Howard Cutler have stated that there are three categories of workers: those for whom the job is just a means of getting a pay cheque; those who see it as an advancement or social status; and those who view it as a calling. The third category of people love their work for its own sake, and are the most motivated.

Combination of factors

Most experts agree that job happiness is a culmination of both external factors and the individual's mindset. Says HR expert Ullhas Pagey, 'During the initial stages of a career, work satisfaction gets governed more by the external set of factors such as the workplace environment, benefits, facilities, opportunities to work overseas, compensation, etc, but as one moves along intrinsic factors become more important.' But he concedes that it is more contingent on one's socio-economic background, and the motivation profile which varies from individual to individual.

'A person's state of mind and external factors cannot be separated. In fact, external factors affect/alter an individual's state of mind to a great extent. Companies need to monitor both, and can use individual mindsets as a barometer of external factors, and act accordingly,' says Ajay Oberoi, senior vice-president, HR and administration, Aptech.

The pay factor

It is obvious that the pay packet is a key to job happiness, particularly in the early stages of one's career when money is the sole motivator. As one climbs the career graph, other factors start gaining equal significance.

Oberoi believes that to a large extent satisfaction/happiness is directly related to the salary. 'If we build a hierarchy of factors for employee satisfaction/happiness, in today's era of consumerism and materialism, salary will form the base of the pyramid.' He asserts that the pay packet continues to be relevant even at later stages as it is considered a yardstick of appreciation.

Employee satisfaction surveys

Is it possible for employee satisfaction surveys to accurately reflect this satisfaction level? Answers Oberoi, ' Such surveys do give trends and indications. However, for better understanding of real feelings, surveys need to be supported/followed by focused group discussions (FGD) and skip level discussions (SLD). At Aptech we follow the sequence of environment survey and FGD/SLD.'

What makes employee satisfaction surveys a much-awaited event is the fact that it is an opportunity for employees to air their views and grievances. The organisation in turn makes these surveys a basis for chalking out plans for the betterment of its employees and its own health. The surveys have to be a top-management initiative, but it is typically the HR people who have to build the right kind of environment to conduct it.

What can HR do?

HR departments in most IT organisations are faced with similar challenges:
curbing attrition, increasing employee morale and productivity, finding the right job fit, etc. All these factors are directly related to the happiness levels of employees.
'The HR department is the custodian of employee satisfaction. It conducts the satisfaction survey and communicates the results to a select/broad population of the company. In companies where HR processes are matured, the department suggests remedies for satisfaction improvement and drives various initiatives for it,' says Oberoi. He adds that real success in improving employee satisfaction will be achieved when the HR department can successfully involve middle and top management to implement employee engagement processes and build a transparent, retribution-free culture. HR managers need to be seen as role models for the values professed by the company, and ensure that the leadership walks the talk.
Pagey notes that though HR can play a very important role in ensuring employee empowerment, in most organisations HR people are more occupied with carrying out routine activities than engaging themselves in value-adding activities. 'Also, mid-sized organisations have low expectations from HR, and often the CEOs themselves are not much aware of the proactive role which HR can play.'

It is a tough task for today's HR department to ensure job satisfaction among staff. Employees are not just happy with a fat pay cheque, a good position and perks; they also want a constant feeling of well-being, demand better work/life balance, and look to the organisation for fulfilling even their community needs. These heightened expectations result in dissatisfaction, and finding true job happiness remains an unfulfilled dream'all the job-hopping notwithstanding.

Knowing When It's Time to Go

Change is difficult for many of us, so we often ignore the signs that indicate it is time to move on. Often, it isn't until a work situation becomes unbearable that we finally decide it's time to change jobs. By the time we reach this point, we feel desperate and are willing to take the next thing that comes along, which might not be any better than the situation we left. If you learn how to recognize the signs that indicate it is time to leave a job, you will be able to plan your next step rather than be forced to make a quick move just to get out. So what are some of these signs you should watch for?
1. Key personnel no longer ask for your opinion.
If you used to be invited to participate in meetings where important decisions were made and you are no longer invited, it may be time to think about your other options. Management may have lost confidence in you. If your opinion is no longer valued, how effective can you be in your role?
2. You have been passed up for a promotion.
Your company has been grooming you for a better position and has assured you that you are next in line. But they fill the job with an outside candidate. Somewhere along the line, someone has not been totally honest with you. Is this really the type of organization you want to work for? Can you be guaranteed this won't happen again?
3. You have gone from being a stellar performer to doing nothing right.
You have always been praised for your work. Now every time you complete a project, you are told you are not meeting expectations. Has there been a change in management lately? Perhaps the new team would like to bring in its own people? Why wait to go out on a bad note? You might want to start putting your feelers out now.
4. The plum assignments keep going to other people.
You are in your job because you want to learn. Yet every time an opportunity comes up for a challenging assignment, it goes to someone else. It is clear that you are the one in the department who will be doing the lower-level work. If you have already mastered those skills and it looks like your situation won't be changing, it may be time to find a position where there is actually room to grow in your job.
5. Your boss tells the staff he is open to suggestions. But is he open to suggestions from you?
You are constantly suggesting how to improve your department. Your suggestions are ignored. It is obvious that your opinion is not being valued. Ask yourself again, why are you still in this job?
6. A larger company is buying out your company.
Although management insists there will be not be any staff reductions, you will need to look at the reality. Do they really need two of you? Remember, you are much more employable if you are currently working. If you are not willing to move to the new corporate office, then perhaps you should see what other opportunities are available close by.
7. Everyone in management seems to be bailing.
Do they know something you don't? Do your best to find out what is really going on and then decide if you should start looking.
8. Work is not fun anymore.
This is perhaps the best sign that it is time to move on. After all, you spend most of your waking hours at work. If you no longer enjoy what you are doing, then why are you still there?
Keep your eyes and ears open for these signs and make sure you keep your resume updated, just in case your time to go arrives sooner than you expect. Being prepared will make the transition that much easier to make.

Five factors I consider while hiring people at all levels:

Technical and functional competence

Does the person have skills-communication, rational persuasion, presentation and interpersonal skills-suited to the job.

Values and beliefs
We look for a high degree of ethical values among its employees.

Cultural fit
The candidate's work style, the kind of environment he/she has worked in, evaluate who can fit in. This is done by giving them situations and judging their responses.

Potential to grow
We estimate whether the candidate can perform well in his current role and has the potential to grow in the next higher role.

The track record This is confirmed through reference checks.