Things you can do to be engaged at Work

Alexandra Loi, Global Head of HR, Revolut

What we do for work matters because we spend a lot of time there, we “invest” our everyday, and it is time that we take from other things we could do. And because it matters to us, we all say that we want to be happy at work. Yet, how many of us are really happy? We say we want to “belong” at work. We say that we want to feel we have an impact at work. Yet, more than 60 percent of global workforce states that they are disengaged. Why that is and what can we do to change it?

How can we stop relating work with a thousand 'have-to” or “must’s” and we turn our “I dont want to go to work” to “I am happy and really looking forward to going to work”. 

Here are 3 steps to get you there faster, and definitely get you started.

Identify the root-cause (why am I not as engaged?)

We can spend hours feeling disengaged, but if we do not understand why that is, we won’t be able to change it. The reasons behind disengagement vary from person to person, and they are a directly linked with our aspirations and what we (not others) want.

How do we identify the cause?Let’s start simple. Take any employee engagement survey. You might already have one in your organization or just google it, and start answering engagement questions. There are thousands of engagement surveys out there and truth is that people tend to believe that these surveys are just a checkbox for HR or Management. But if taken seriously from both parties (employees and companies), like we do in Revolut, they can transform a workplace. Take any engagement survey and identify which are the areas where you rank low. Usually it would be around below 5 pillars:

Leadership of the organization (Am I inspired by my leaders and managers)

Growth (Am I learning? Am I developing and feeling I am progressing?)

Recognition (Do I feel I am respected and valued? financial and non-financial)

Enablement (Is it clear what you need to do? Are you enabled to deliver it?) and 

Meaning (Do I like my job? Do I relate to the company’s mission? What’s my impact?

Take Responsibility over the root-cause 

Now that you have identified the reasons for disengagement, it is time to take responsibility over them. Those of us, who choose to blame the universe or the company or the weather and do not take actual responsibility over our lives, seem to always be less happy and satisfied than the rest. Ask yourself: How did I contribute to being disengaged? What is it that you “did or didn’t do” that could have helped? Did you look out for inspiring mentors? Did you ask for training? Did you say that you want to feel recognized? Did you ask for the tools that will most enable you? Did you ask to be part of projects you find meaningful? If not, first act and then you can re-evaluate the situation depending on the changes achieved.

Accept the things you cannot change, and decide.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” - One of my favorite quotes. One of the critical moments in one’s career and job is the moment they realize there are things they can’t change, and they need to decide whether they stay or leave. Every organization has its unique characteristics, its own values, its own culture, its own DNA. And as in every relationship, there are things we can and cannot change. If you have taken full responsibility over the areas you don’t necessarily like, and there is no real change, then you need to make a call. Do I stay or do I leave? Making a career change is never easy and seems daunting, but at the same time, as with everything - change sometimes is the only path onwards and upwards. 

Choosing our future and how we go about our jobs is a very important aspect which requires time to reflect and no rushed decisions. The truth is that in every organization, and every job there will always be areas we don't like. What matters is to find our motivation behind the reasons that keep us there. Try to create many reasons you love what you do, take responsibility, and if things do not change, choose to change them. Life is short, and we have the blessing of being capable to work and produce value - don't spend time wasting that opportunity. Find your place and go all in, love what you do. 

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