Do you hate Mondays and live for the weekend? Increase your job satisfaction today!
It’s Friday evening, the workplace is shutting its doors for the weekend, and you can’t wait to get your swag on, head to the local bar or catch those Netflix episodes you missed last week. Thing is, Friday is gone as quick as your drink, Saturday goes even faster, and Sundays well, they’re a buzzkill because you’re already thinking about the week ahead. If most of your weekend is spent psyching yourself up to face those horrid blue Mondays, you’re likely disengaged at work. But rest assured, you’re not alone – Job satisfaction is a key issue in the workplace.
85% of employees were found to be disengaged at work
According to Gallup’s international poll in 2017, which surveyed workers from over 160 countries, 85% of employees were found to be disengaged at work, which is really a sugar-coated term for DISLIKING your job. Quite an astonishing figure, we know, which is why it got us thinking, wondering and having a discussion before asking the question: What is it that makes us disconnected, and how can we fix it? There’s got to be a way to increase job satisfaction to make make Mondays fun again.
Five career-breaking reasons Mondays suck for people with low job satisfaction
Enter Jack. (Psst…That’s him below looking rather glum at his computer getting little job satisfaction). He’s our resident Oxbridge student and he used to hate Blue Mondays, too. You see, Jack was once a twentysomething, data-entry specialist with dreams of hitting the big time. He left school with limited qualifications, but his perseverance and charming persona secured him his first position in a growing company. Jack thought he was going places and so worked his socks off, that was until he encountered glaring issues that made facing the working week a living nightmare.
How many of the following are making your Mondays blue? Can you think of any others?
Jack is feeling pretty glum about those gloomy, blue Mondays
1) Zero Career Progression
You’ve been at a company for years, but the new guy who started 6 months ago has just been promoted. In fact, everyone you know has grown, but for some reason, you’re stuck at square one despite being told there will be opportunities. Now, all that’s in your head is the limited or lack of job satisfaction. In a nutshell, you’ve hit a dead-end and suffering for it. Sadly, 43% of workers quit their jobs due to lack of recognition or growth. If this is true for you, moving on is an option.
43% of workers quit their jobs due to lack of recognition or growth
2) Boredom or Lack of Challenge
Are your Mondays no different from your Fridays? If so, you’ve likely entered the 7th circle of hell. If employers aren’t testing you in new ways, you’ll grow stagnant, or worse; ready to catch a train to crazy town. The workplace is an adult’s playground, but if it simply becomes a place of monotony with little to play around with, well in the wise words of Stephen King, ‘All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy’. If you’re slowly dying inside from lack of excitement or job satisfaction, then get the hell out of dodge.
3) The Over-Demanding Boss
Do you one of those bosses that complain about everything? Heck, they even moan when you stay back to help them after work. And then in the morning, despite your capability, they’ll micromanage, expect unrealistic turnaround times and pile on the work, resulting in working weekends to fulfil your role. If your Mondays are filled with bad stress and little gratitude, then it’s time to open your eyes.
4) Overworked and Underpaid
First in the office, last to leave. You go the extra mile to ensure your employer is functioning better than in previous years. However, no matter how well you perform that salary increase remains elusive. Offering employers desirable skills without challenging salary increases is a recipe for disaster and gives them a reason to take advantage. Strangely, some employers willingly let top employees go to avoid paying slight salary rises. If you can’t see your salary going up, but your workload is, wise up!
5) Bad Management
Ever get the feeling that you’re working in a zoo with little control? If you’re encountering one or more of the following, you’re management team needs an overhaul. This list isn’t exhaustible:
- You’ve jokers in the corner
- Gossipers in the kitchen
- Loud music blaring – dials cranked up to 11
- Poisonous politics
- Promises of change with no change
- Inadequate training, tools or materials to succeed
- Of course, rubbish job satisfaction
Poor management can appear in many forms. Do you identify with any of that list? If so, what do you expect to work in and around chaos every day? If you’re not working in a stable environment with flexibility, clear expectations and advancement, we recommend leaving the toxicity behind and starting anew.
Learning to Love Mondays Again, Just Like Jack
So, are you a member of The Disengaged? We’re using the term in a collective sense to represent every person who wakes up Monday mornings with their face in the gutter, praying for Friday to arrive. But if you’re feeling this way, have you ever asked why? Perhaps you already knew that your life was upside down and needed changing; but familiarity, routine paydays and fear of failure kept you loyal to a job you’re no longer interested in. All we can say is that now’s the time to act, just like our Jack.
It’s totally possible, too, in four simple steps
Oxbridge’s Steps to Happier Mondays and Job Satisfaction
Step 1 - Identify what’s wrong in your life 
Maybe you lack the qualifications to land that promotion, your salary is not affording you the dream roadster, or a negative boss is hoovering up your good mood. Perhaps you’ve completely taken the wrong career and you’re not happy at all; family commitments have become a priority or there are learning difficulties that are making life more challenging. Map these down while thinking about change and what would right what is wrong.
Step 2 – Create your own personal avatar. Just who are you?
Step 1 is about what makes you unhappy. Step 2 is about what makes you happy. Be honest here and detail everything that makes you tick; your passions, hobbies and interests realistically paint your dream lifestyle. Maybe you could see yourself counting figures in an accountancy firm or possibly teaching kids in schools. Whatever it is, imagine your new avatar and what career they hold.
Step 3 - Research, Research, Research
By this step, you’ll know where you’re going wrong but more importantly, what looks right for you. Now comes the fun part, what do you need for this new dream to become a reality? It might be work experience, better qualifications or even refreshing a skill. Consider how this will fit around your current lifestyle; with a variety of options, research will help to focus what this looks like for you.
Step 4 - Make it happen
Simply put, make your dreams happen. It’s tiring pretending things are going to get better on their own. News flash they won’t. In fact, as years go by and younger people enter the marketplace, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not taking advantage of what’s around you. What works for one person does not work for others so take a chance and initiate that change to increase your job satisfaction and make Mondays fun again.
Oxbridge offers a wide selection of distance learning courses with personal tutor support and flexibility to help reinvigorate your career and make Monday mornings fun again. If you’re looking to spruce up your skills or gain that essential qualification to reach your goals, join our Jack and check out our renowned courses, we’ve got everything from Childcare to ICB Bookkeeping and more. For further advice or a chat about your future, give our supportive advisors a call today on 0121 630 3000 for assistance.