If money weren’t an issue, I would work as ...
Nope, this isn’t just about money. Work consists of many vital parts.
Hii, how are you today? Hope you’re feeling well today. Let’s talk about work.
For the last two years, I have been honored to work with many interesting people on various projects and in different industries. I have worked with five different bosses and played eight to nine different roles. All of these experiences have taught me wonderful lessons on how to build a team, work simultaneously on different tasks, value someone’s presence, and many other things. Among all this knowledge, I highlight three important areas for maintaining sanity in the workplace:
High emotional awareness and intelligent leadership.
Yes, these combined qualities bring significant influence to the entire company. I use the word "leader" instead of "boss" because the term "boss" often has a negative connotation. In my personal experience, I once had a boss who always wanted to be called and respected as "boss." They were arrogant and prideful, making it unpleasant to work with them. Their bad behavior bonded us, their employees, but not in a positive way.
Someone with high emotional awareness knows how to humanize others and organize the entire team. A real leader sacrifices for the whole group, earning their respect. They have empathy but also use logic to make decisions. They have a strong sense of and a rational approach to any issues. An intelligent leader can navigate the company's course. I also find that a leader with high emotional awareness and intelligence will be honest, avoiding blame games and victimization.
A healthy workplace.
Work colleagues are vital. Please don’t say you don’t need them. I’m an introvert, but I can’t work alone. My first job was as an associate editor who worked alone in a new company. I didn’t enjoy that experience and resigned after my one-year contract ended, leading to a challenging period of over four months of unemployment.
Like a union, supportive colleagues are crucial for our sanity in the workplace. Having someone to share work, ideas, and obstacles with can increase our productivity. Setting boundaries is essential as it helps you balance what to share and what not to.
Clear definitions and goals for your tasks.
Doing something with a purpose rewards all our hard work, hopefully. That’s why a clear job description is crucial. Ask yourself, “Does this job align with my goals, dreams, and values?” or “Does this job move my heart?” When I told my friends that I work not for the money, they laughed. At my age, what I value most is the opportunity to learn new things at a different pace. It may sound cliché, but one of the keys to employee productivity is a clear understanding of their tasks.
I know competitive benefits are necessary in today’s economy. Free lunch, while seemingly unnecessary, brings certain benefits to employee morale and feelings.
However, I feel like I am missing something here. Although two years can reveal many beautiful things, isn't it too fast to summarize the ideal workplace?
Everyone learns at their own pace. Our tolerance for pain grows, and our vision and goals expand as the years go by. I lack enough sources since theoretically, I can share utopian ideas about workplaces and workforce issues, but I still need a perspective from a seasoned worker. So, I asked my brother, who has worked for more than seven years in one specific office, playing different roles throughout his career.
You are a Millennial, and I’m a Gen Z. I’m sure we have a broad view of work itself. For the past few days, my friend told me about her toxic boss and unfair work environment. She resigned after two years. I know that the definition of "toxic" varies because our tolerance for pain is different. In this case, I think there are three layers to support and clarify job descriptions. Do you agree with this statement?
His answer:
I believe that your friend struggled to make such a decision. I totally agree with the three points you mentioned; they are obviously needed. But in reality, it’s hard to get all three in one workplace. There’s no easy way to find that job. I have a terrible job, but at least the industry I work in contributes a lot to society. I’ve experienced multiple burnouts. Has resigning ever crossed my mind? Too many times.
My motto in working now is to be adaptable and have a growth mindset. We can pray to God for a good workplace, but it’s our mindset that makes everything make sense. I don’t normalize bad behavior in the workplace, but certain hurdles can level up our values.
His answer is legit and makes sense. Too many workplace cases are hard to contemplate.
I don’t normalize bad behavior in the workplace, but certain hurdles can level up our values.
I was listening to David Graeber while eating breakfast this morning. He is famous for the term "Bullshit Jobs." These jobs create lots of money and are valued by family as successful, yet we are haunted by what the job actually entails. In some other videos from Big Think, it’s mentioned that we have created more jobs now than in previous decades. With technology advancements, people are going out for work, but ironically there isn’t a lot of very good work to do, yet we insist on full employment.
Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I ask myself why I have to work hard. Is there any world where only I can solve a problem? Of course not. If this question were asked to economists, they would say we’re trying to solve the economic problem of scarcity. Mustafa Suleyman, in an interview with The Economist about AI, said that our main goal is to reduce human suffering. How angelic our goal is. But, honestly, I work because I need to spend my 24 hours doing something. Through work, I gain a sense of belonging, a sense of finding solutions, and many other things.
Now, back to the early question, “If money weren’t an issue, what type of job would you do right now?”
For me, I want to be a therapist. Let me know your answer or your preferences.
Appreciate you reading. Thank you.
Melva Bintang
