I have been reflecting on my values, work and how the two fit together. Added to that, I am thinking of a career change whatever that may end up looking like. The result was having a good think about what I do like about work.
The easy ones are a little cheap, but equally valid nonetheless:-
- Convenience – I live less than 10 minutes in a car or half an hour way from where I work.
- Holiday – I get 30 days holiday (annual leave) entitlement each year.
- Pension – the salary is okay but the pension is fantastic. There are few complaints about a Government pension scheme.
There are also a lot of cultural aspects I like, of particular note:-
- Flexibility – there is a lot of flexibility around working hours, working from home, attending doctors appointments, child care and so on.
- Personal Development – my employer is very big on personal development, including funding professional qualifications.
But there is one that trumps them all. Without it, the others wouldn’t count for much.
The People.
Colleagues, work friends, friends. Whatever label you want to give them, it is the people that I like about my job.
The people I say hello to and discuss the weekend’s sport.
The people within our team who I work (and sit) closest with. The ongoing laughter and conversation we have throughout the day.
The people across the organisation whose humour I connect with. The practical jokes, banter, silly emails and sending ‘turd’ emojis.
The people I love being silly with. Those elastic band fights late on a Friday afternoon when most other people have left for the day.
The people I enjoy going for a beer with after work or a lunch on a Friday.
The people who I call good friends. Those I just enjoy being with and hope our friendships outlive our time working together.
Without the people, my job really would suck.
Unicorns and Dragons 