I made a comment this morning to my boss that I don't feel like I add value at work. Six days of rest and relaxation allows way too much time for contemplating and thinking about life in general. So of course my friend Google and I searched those few little words and I found this post by Joanne Fedler on Mammamia and that's when I knew I was stuffed.
At the end of the post she provided this: Ten tips on how to work out whether your job adds (real) value in the world or is, sorry to say, just a bit of a wank. Your job adds value in the world if:
- When you arrive people say, “Thank God you’re here”
- No-one walks away from you feeling ripped off
- At the end of the day you can see the results of your labour
- Nobody ever tells you to ‘go away’ or swears at you
- You count lives, not money
- People don’t avoid your calls
- Nobody ever threatens to sue you
- Nobody ever tells you they want a ‘second opinion’
- You make broken things work
- People send you thank you cards
I don't know about you, but I need to feel like I'm adding value through what I do, the people I reach, the job I'm paid to do. If I don't feel like I'm doing something worthwhile and I'm not stretching, growing, learning then is it it time to move on or just time to re-evaluate what value add is for me?
Do you feel like you add value in what you do, am I simply overthinking this?
Cheers, Fi
As a teacher my job includes about half that list- people telling me to go away, the threat of being sued if something goes wrong, and unfortunately I know I won't see the results of my labor until MUCH later than the end of the day. However, I KNOW I add value, and I do get thank you cards!
ReplyDeleteI agree that doing a job has to include a feeling of satisfaction. I would not be able to stay in a job that didn't make me feel like I was doing something valuable. I don't think you are over thinking this at all. What would you like to do that would give you a sense of value?
Enriching children's minds is definitely value add Karen and I know from reading your words that you're passionate about it. (Passion equals awesomeness)
DeleteWhat would I like to do? - a communications role where people want to know more and learn more and who value the information they receive. Very little of this occurs in my current role and I always seem to be the fix it, find it, organise it person instead.
I know I add value but not in the ways I want to be valued for. It's a lot to do with business culture and it's a struggle to change mindsets. I feel that communication is priority only after everything else is done and that is what's frustrating.
I've found that a lot of our sense of value has to do with the culture of the company we work for. The school I just left, for example, has a culture I'm not sure I completely bought into. Some days that made me feel rotten when I thought about it. I am hoping that whatever job I find really values the same things I do. Being the right fit to help encourage your goals and growth really is important.
DeleteI'm sure my work does add value since I type medical reports after a doctor sees a patient and dictates their impressions or operative report, etc. I work at home for a national company and get my reports via the internet. I have virtually no contact with other employees and just through email with my supervisor so I'm not sure what kind of a good impact I'm makng (yet I know if I was doing something wrong, I'm sure I would hear about it :)
ReplyDeletebetty
Betty, I think we all know when we do something wrong, just not as much when we're doing good (other than silence) It must be hard only having contact by email - or maybe not now that I think about it
Deletemaybe it's time to give yourself a break and just accept -- I am. therefore, I make a difference.
ReplyDeleteI've learned,
it's enough to love myself, just the way I am.
and when I do
the way I am is enough to love myself.
Hugs
Yeah I'm hearing you on all counts
DeleteTotally not overthinking. This is why I do other things besides my job that pays the bills. Hoping that those other things that truly really matter, make a difference in someones life some how some way no matter how small or trivial I or anyone else may think they are. We are all here for a reason and we do matter and we do make a difference for being us doing what we do (and I am saying this to all you lovely ladies above too).
ReplyDelete