Natalie Loopbaanadvies

The Gen Y statistics were a surprise at first glance on my end as well. As I delved deeper there is no doubt it relates (at least in part) to these recessionary times. A sense of the “unknown” has prevailed for this demographic (many are fresh college graduates), and certainly further fueled by the media. Times are indeed changing – hiring has really picked up the last few quarters. Great news.

We will continue to explore the importance of culture fit – as it relates to the workplace and social community building.

You tackle a topic which is at the heart and soul of all things work related – satisfaction. The Rolling Stones sing it best: “I can’t get no satisfaction.”

From what you write and the conference board’s report, it’s not suprising that “job satisfaction is at its lowest level in two decades” across demographic spectrums. With an unemployment rate hovering close to 10%, those who are working should be happy, but many are not. Perhaps, because they feel trapped?

It’s interesting that the Gen Y crowd is unhappiest, though this may come from youth trying to figure out their path in life. (I’ve read surveys that people in their 40s and beyond are generally happier overall across “life” variables, perhaps, because they’ve “discovered” themselves and where they fit.)

Thanks for quoting my recent TC post in which I state, “Culture is the super glue that bonds people to a mission.” Indeed, if a person’s values align to a group, organization or cause, then it “feels” right and there’s “fit.” An employee will be more productive, happy – and satisfied.

I agree with your summary, “Job satisfaction is a shared responsibility.” Employees, Management, Companies.

Developing the right organizational culture is key to retention in the workplace. Imagine when this job market improves, the massive job movement there will be. I read recently that of the approx 60 million people on LinkedIn, a whopping 28% are seeking a career move. And close to 70% are open to listening to new career opportunities. At the heart is job satisfaction.
Best, Mike

Kevin, Great insight. Appreciate your valuable thoughts! Agree, shared responsibility is a trend I/we can stand behind. It creates a healthier and more productive workplace for all parties.

Chris, It’s nice to see you here. Very welcome. I hear you. You bring up great questions. The short answer = all of the above. As a career seeker, you must do the homework and take a varied approach to researching potential employers. The goal when TalentCulture partners with clients is to create a more transparent hiring process for career seekers. Culture branding works best when employers, hiring managers, or recruiters create a more realistic notion of what it’s really like to work in their setting = The Good, The Bad, The Ugly. This is where strategic partnership comes into play. It’s about creating trust for all parties involved first and working from there on a thoughtful hiring and branding process. Certainly no corporate culture is a perfect one. Often times, I see employee retention issues when overselling occurs in the recruiting and onboarding process. It’s about authenticity and discovering a more organic culture brand for organizations. I will continue to unfold ideas regarding this topic.

My question comes from the perspective of the prospective employee looking for the proper “culture fit”. How does a person really know whether there will be a personality-culture fit between themselves and their prospective employer? Every employer will ascribe to their company a “culture of success and engagement, organizational health, demand the best from its managers, and provide extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to committed employees”.

How does an individual sort out the reality from the rhetoric?

Through the interview process? Independent research? By asking for and following up on customer references? By monitoring social media? An internship-style trial evaluation for the company?

I agree completely that the key to successful two-way value exchange between employer and employee is the establishment of culture-perosonality fit and the development of expectations of what the future exchange of value between them will look like. That said, it seems a daunting task for anyone embarking on this type of search to evaluate and choose successfully.

Thanks for the thought-provoking post!

Or in any time.

You nailed it in this post, Meghan. As an employer in various industries I’ve seen time and again too many employees who have an entitlement mindset and make their managers, co-workers and themselves miserable because nothing is done for them to change their situation. They’re cocooned in self-perpetuated stagnation and do nothing to make a difference in their circumstance.

And as an employer in various industries we also perpetuated that misfortune.

Employer and employee can renew satisfaction. If not, then employee has to brave the terrifying prospect of making a difference in their professional and personal life — because they are more one in the same than they’ve ever been.

Shared responsibility to improve the satisfaction is where it’s at today. Right on.