Nearly two-thirds of employees are potentially leaving their jobs over the next year due to lack of alignment between their values and that of their employers, Amba’s Generation Gap: Understanding The Priorities of The Gen-Z Workforce 2022 report revealed.
Why?
We all desire meaning and purpose in life. This work satisfaction and fulfilment essentially boils down to two factors: the work that we’re doing, and where we do it. Where we work (our employer) is just as essential to career sustainability and long-term happiness as the type of employer we work for.
But so often we compromise our job satisfaction, mental health, and well-being because we feel limited by our circumstances to remain in the same job or working for the same toxic employer, and consequently, we settle for whatever is handed to us because we need to survive.
A study showed that 83% of people experience stress and anxiety at work, while the Amba study revealed that 45% of employees have employers that do not share their values. However, while leaving a job is an important first step, many find it difficult to pin down exactly what role they would enjoy, or they struggle to identify a healthy employer whose mission aligns with their core values.
Following these steps will aid in simplifying the process for you:
Find A Job That Serves You—And Others
We work for a variety of reasons. Jobs are more than just a means to obtain a decent income. They form the critical infrastructure of our lives and serve a purpose, filling our void to meaningfully connect, help, and relate to others. Here are a few ways to identify such a role, and the employers who provide them:
1. Map out your core values and non-negotiables
What are your core values, those intrinsic aspects of your personality, personal circumstances, and morals that you cannot live without or afford to compromise? There is a plethora of online tools available at your disposal, so you can better define what those look like for you. The results of these tests will offer you a wealth of personalized and highly accurate insights into your working preferences and environment, career choices that would be best suited to you, and even insights that will help you make an informed decision as you select a potential employer.
In addition, considering the main pain-points for you in your current or most recent job will help shed light on what your values and non-negotiables are. For example, you may be able to identify that your next job must offer the freedom to be trusted to work autonomously, or that your employer should have policies that permit no more than one day a week in the office, or a culture that encourages women into senior leadership positions through transparent salaries and equal opportunities for professional development.
From your core values list, develop a “top three” or “top five”. These will form your non-negotiables, while the others are liable to flexibility depending on other factors. For example, you could say that being paid at the market rate of $120,000 per annum is a core value, but if you were offered a solid career progression plan in which your pay was reviewed annually, you would be willing to temporarily compromise this value as career progression is a non-negotiable for you.
2. What would you do if no limits was a possibility?
Imagine what life would be like if you were to wake up tomorrow morning in your ideal lifestyle and career. What would that look like? Would you be working in the job or career that you’re in right now? Would things slightly or radically change? The beauty that lies in this frame of thought is that you’re exploring beyond the confines of your current circumstances and unleashing your inner creativity, which awakens the desire for that change and motivates you to action, whether switching employer, or pivoting careers completely.
3. Research extensively
Vet potential employers and job opportunities with 360-degree research. You can explore the people/culture/careers section of their website, view their long-term strategy if it is published publicly, analyze Glassdoor reviews, use AI-powered tools to research an organization’s history, and speak directly with past or current employees to gain an understanding of the company’s culture and mission.
4. Match common values and mission
Evaluate the potential short-term or long-term impact of the job you are pursuing: how will this enable a better quality of lives or positively impact the planet? What elements of the company’s mission resonate with you and how can you best contribute with your transferable skills? This will help you effectively prepare for and answer tricky job interview questions such as, “Why do you want to work for us?” or “What do you like about (name of role)?”
You should also be proactive in asking questions at the job interview that will provide eye-opening insights into their culture, such as, “What makes you proud to work here?” “Why did the last person who filled this role leave?” “What is your management style?”
5. Be consistent
Remaining consistent is key in this journey. Compromising your non-negotiables signals to others that you don’t take these values seriously. Similarly, remaining comfortable in a work environment that refuses to take a stand against abuse or injustice is just as bad as committing the acts yourself, because you are doing nothing to make a difference by speaking up or leaving.
Ultimately, finding a job and employer that aligns with your values is critical to your career happiness and success. Through approaching this process strategically, mapping out your core values, conducting extensive research, and carefully evaluating how your priorities will impact humanity in the long term, you can find a job that speaks to your values and an employer that promotes a culture you would thrive in.
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