Big businesses dedicate entire branches of their companies to things like human resources. Human nature dictates that if you’re satisfied with your career, you’ll produce better work, so this is actually a cost-effective measure that has its roots in psychology, science, and economics.

When an employee is interested in their job, that doesn’t always equate to satisfaction, however, and vice versa. Studies have shown that these two factors can be mutually exclusive, but a good company that focuses on their bottom line knows the best way to ensure productivity and profit is to have employees who love their job.

The Difference Between Job Interest and Job Satisfaction

As we grow up, most of us, at some point, are pointed in the direction of a field we are interested in. Not all of us are lucky enough to be able to pursue work in that same area, though. At least 70% of the population ends up in a job where they can make ends meet rather than one they are significantly interested in.

This does not automatically mean they’re dissatisfied with their work, however. A good management system, benefits, perks, and hours can make anyone happy in the job they’re in and hesitant to give it up, even for a career in the field of their dreams. On the other hand, a job they’re interested in could come part and parcel with a manager or boss who is tyrannical and demanding, long, grueling hours, and low pay.

The truth is that most people would rather have a job that pays their bills and offers them rewards and benefits than one that they are passionate about, particularly if they have a family to take care of. But when both of these factors go together, the employee will most likely be more productive and efficient, bringing in more profit to the bottom line.

Benefits of an Employee Who is Satisfied With Their Position

There are multiple parts of any job that can result in dissatisfaction, such as drama in the office, colleagues who don’t get along and are actively engaging in negative activities, demanding bosses, low wages, hard work, long hours, and complaining clients. Any one of these factors can create a job atmosphere that is difficult for the employee, causing them to become disgruntled.

When an employee is satisfied with the majority of these factors, they’re more likely to be a positive addition to the workplace, though. It’s easier to put up with consumers who complain all the time if you can turn to your colleagues to vent and make the atmosphere less hostile. Employees who have high job satisfaction are more likely to stay somewhere with low pay and less benefits, too.

When you combine an interesting job with good perks and a positive work environment, the advantages to the business increase tenfold. A good human resource organization attempts to make this happen in multiple ways, such as:

●      Using personality tests to place individuals in positions that are the right fit for them

●      Providing periodic surveys to gauge the temperature of the work environment

●      Offering perks and benefits that are competitive to the surrounding location and the field itself

●      Making sure the employees know that the business is family-friendly, putting personal lives at the same level of importance or higher than the company’s mission within reason

Employees that feel valued are more likely to be satisfied with their job. With this satisfaction comes boosts to the company. Their workers are friendlier to their clients, bringing in repeat business and referrals. Employees are less likely to call in sick to work, keeping productivity running at peak performance. When they’re there, they are more focused on their job and doing it well for the company’s name and to keep their positions.

All of these factors ultimately add up to a better bottom line for the organization, and businesses who know how to increase employee morale are not afraid to add a budget to do so, knowing that it will ultimately help them.

Use Impactio to Find Work That Satisfies You

If you’re in a job currently that is satisfying or interesting, but not both, you need to keep on looking for that perfect fit. Those dream careers are coveted by others, too, so you  have to stand out from the crowd. One way to do this is to publish work that looks and sounds professional to boost your scholarly reputation. Share that work on Impactio, the network for academic scholars.

When you use Impactio to spread your impact, you’re building a network that may help you to find the job that marries satisfaction with interest, giving you the job of your dreams that will put you on a path to meeting all your goals, both personal and professional.