As employees, no doubt many of us have watched our organizations grasp for ways to engage us and create a positive experience day in and day out on the job. Many organizations do this through enhanced benefits packages, additional flexibility, and other perks that are meant to make us happier at work. While organizations are to be commended for their efforts, ultimately many of these approaches are simply done in vain. That is, as much as they try, organizations still struggle to figure out how to create a positive employee experience. And that’s because they are only part of the equation when it comes to the employee experience, the other part is you.
While many of us have become comfortable with the notion that our employer is responsible for ensuring we have a positive experience, the truth is that we are personally in control of that far more than we realize. Our organizations can throw all of the perks and benefits in the world at us however if we aren’t personally vested and committed to the work we do will it really improve our experience? Certainly it may help some people within the moment, however, the question remains as to whether or not those efforts create a more lasting positive experience.
When you made your way into work this morning, how were you approaching your day? Were you thinking about all the emails you had to respond to? Were you dwelling on problems or on all the meetings you have coming up? Creating a positive experience at work starts with how you approach each day and what you hope to accomplish. Instead of getting lost in the minutiae of the work, approach each day by thinking about the positive and good work you can do for the organization. Think about the people you will interact with and ways you can leave a positive and lasting impression on them. Rather than dreading difficult tasks, consider how good it will feel when they are done, and you’ve accomplished something.
We aren’t always in a position to control what our organization does or the behavior of our co-workers. However, we can control our own behavior and our own thoughts around the work we do each and every day. Sometimes our work gets stale and it’s hard to maintain that positive drive and intrinsic motivation. When this happens, rather than waiting for your manager to solve this problem, be more proactive and let your leader know that you want things to be different.
We can’t always control the environment we’re in, but we can control the way we think about it. If you want to have a positive employee experience, make sure you’re doing your part and not sitting back waiting for your employer to do it for you.
