Sweat the small stuff to improve job satisfaction

Many of us spend more time at work than we do with our families. Even when we are at home, we’re often thinking about work issues, or working remotely using technology. Job satisfaction surveys indicate that even in times of high unemployment (where you might think people would be grateful just to have a job), up to a third of those employed report being unfulfilled at work and would willingly jump ship to another firm if they could.

What can we do as leaders to create a more fulfilling work environment for our people?

Sweat the small stuff.

As leaders, we know the importance of focusing on the big picture. We choose our key strategic priorities, break them down into individual projects, and make sure our key performance indicators are moving in the right direction. Business execution is all about working on the right things – the big stuff.

However, when it comes to job satisfaction, it is the little things that matter. It is the recurring daily hassles and frustrations that chisel away at your people’s motivation: The machine that doesn’t work; the bug in the software; the flickering light bulb. Surprisingly, it is the little things that are out of our control that frustrate us the most.

Keep your ears open for the little hassles and niggles that your staff complain about. Don’t brush them off - fix them. Sometimes the simplest improvement can have a huge positive psychological impact. It doesn’t have to cost much either. I was amazed at how grateful our people were when all I did was install new paper towel dispensers in the restrooms at one of our offices. Seeing progress being made every day is a key motivator.

What little thing could you fix in your work environment this week that would address a daily frustration for your people?

A Sense of Achievement.

Similarly, people report higher job satisfaction when they feel like they are achieving something every day. It’s all about visible progress.

At the beginning of every day ask your people, “What is the #1 thing you are going to achieve today?”

Don’t let people get away with saying something general like, “I’m going to work on project X”. Specificity has power. If your people are working on a large project, get them to specify what piece of that project they can get done by the end of the day.

The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Get everyone to name that bite they are going to cut off, chew down, and swallow today. Write it down. Check it off when it is done. Make sure your people finish every day with a sense of achievement.

What is the #1 priority that you will get done today?

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