Since we spend a good part of our time at work, it is legitimate to want to love it. Except that a third of French people say “unsatisfied“by their professional life, according to a survey by the Montaigne Institute published in 2023. Fortunately, it would however be possible to not like your job… and still find something”meaning to his life“, says Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist. Here’s how.
Work and satisfaction: evolution and recognition are two essential points
According to the results of the study, 77% of French people surveyed said they were satisfied at work, and two-thirds of workers considered that this work was “occupying.”a fair place” in their lives. Business leaders, craftsmen, liberal professions also seem to be among the workers most satisfied with their work.
In addition, self-employed people generally say they are more fulfilled in the office than public or private sector employees.
“The absence of hierarchy and flexible working hours are all advantages for the self-employed which can explain this gap in happiness at work (average satisfaction of 7.6/10 among the self-employed compared to 6.7/10 among employees).”
the report reveals.
Finally, among active workers, “good career prospects and recognition of their work by managers are the primary factors of satisfaction”, Researchers are still teaching us.
However, what about the others? How can you be satisfied with your days when neither career prospects, nor salary, nor recognition follow? Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist, provides us with some answers.
An unsatisfying job can very well be accompanied by “a life rich in meaning”
At school, and even after: we are told (too) often that we need to find a job that fascinates us. That the meaning of life necessarily passes through this.
“But it’s false. Or in any case, incomplete. It is entirely possible to practice a food profession, by choice or by necessity and yet have a life rich in meaning. Because meaning is not limited to a job description. It can be found elsewhere: in a commitment, a relationship, a passion, a strong bond with one’s children, one’s friends, a cause, a work, an artistic practice, a sporting discipline… In the care one takes to do something, even simple”, underlines Amélie Boukhobza.
Loving your work ultimately remains an opportunity.
“However, this is not a mandatory condition for feeling aligned. The main thing is to have spaces where we feel alive, where we create, share, build and choose.” specifies the practitioner.
The danger actually appears when everything is based solely on work.
“When nothing else nourishes our existence, when we only define ourselves by our performance or our social success. In the event of burn-out, unemployment or simple weariness, everything can then collapse.” alerts the expert.
“So no, you don’t need a passion job. The ideal would still be to find meaning in it. But above all you need a life that makes sense to you. And this life doesn’t just happen in the office!”, concludes the expert.