The Three Requirements for Job Satisfaction

Companies sometimes lose excellent workers and don't know why.

If you ask people what makes a job continually satisfying, you may hear answers like salary, benefits, or job titles. These are, of course, important to an employee, but what about less concrete considerations?

Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers: The Story of Success is about the rarely discussed factors that play into professional success. In one chapter, he discusses the three requirements for job satisfaction. And guess what—they have nothing to do with money or status.

According to Gladwell, the three magical ingredients are:

Will 2012 Be the Year of Corporate Musical Chairs?

The New Year is well underway, and Fast Company reports it may very well be the year of corporate musical chairs—job dissatisfaction remains high, and workers are ready to look elsewhere:

Right Management found that workers continue to feel trapped in their jobs and want to find new employment elsewhere. They polled more than a 1,000 employees in North America and found 84% of respondents are planning to look for a new position in 2012. According to Mercer’s recent What’s Working global survey of nearly 30,000 people in 17 countries, between 28% and 56% of workers are seriously considering leaving their jobs, with younger workers even more likely to be considering a move.

It’s no secret that people are working longer hours, working outside their area of expertise, and holding multiple roles within organizations. The new normal has never felt less normal—and while companies may still be struggling, high performing employees who are feeling the economic pinch and are dealing with high levels of stress are ready to look elsewhere. While salaries for certain professions are starting to rise, many employees are also ready to move with work/life balance in mind. High stress is taking a toll on their relationships and health; they’re ready for a change.