The evolving concept of Job Satisfaction, And it’s Impact on Work Culture

Do you remember watching Bollywood movies of the 70s and 80s that often spoke about the youth looking for stable jobs? Or ever heard your grandparents mention how prestigious it was to be a doctor, engineer or a government official in their time?

For the longest time Indians have been chasing jobs that gave them a sense of security with a stable pay. If you belonged to an educated family it was certain that you would either become a doctor, engineer or an IAS officer. The human sciences or arts courses were categorised only for girls or for those who didn’t want to pursue a serious career in their life.

This ideology was solely based on the concept that only a high paying job, or a stable job could give you enough satisfaction to pursue a career your whole life. However, the present generation has a very different point of view, which reflects the evolution of the concept of job satisfaction.

What is job satisfaction?

Several psychological studies have tried to examine the components of job satisfaction. On a broader perspective job satisfaction is subjective to an individual’s interest and goals, however it clearly reflects the feelings that one associates with his or her work.

In older times people ignored their feelings towards their work, and gave more importance to stability, however in the present context recognition, independence and quality of work have pushed stability aside. Employees have become more vocal about their feelings, and are not afraid to experiment with their work.

The importance of work culture

This change in the mind-set of the employees has increased the focus on work culture. Organisations need to ensure that their jobs are not just high paying but also satisfying in terms of quality, recognition, and growth. They are trying to take a holistic approach to provide job satisfaction by taking care of their employees in all aspects: emotional, mental and financial. This shift has lead to the growth of employee engagement activities as well as employee wellness programs.

So in the coming years organisations will have to constantly upgrade themselves to retain talent given the fact that providing a holistic job package is a challenge, and entrepreneurship is gaining a lot of popularity among the youth. Which implies that focus on work culture, wellness programs, and engagement activities will see a swift increase in the coming years.