Money is a big motivator at work. But it doesn’t beat learning opportunities. The more you learn, the more you can earn. Sadly, many Singaporean employees don’t receive as much training as they would like. They also wish they had a more helpful manager for resolving work-related issues.
Because of this, only 49% of Singaporeans are satisfied with their jobs. Aside from sufficient training and helpful managers, they also value personal relationships at work over pay raises. According to Qualtric’s head of Southeast Asia, Foo Mao Gen, the type of relationships employees have with their managers and colleagues can significantly influence their job satisfaction and motivation levels.
True enough, if you’re close with your immediate supervisor, it’s easier for you to voice out your concerns. If you seek professional development, you can ask for it confidently. You and your immediate supervisor can also be honest with each other regarding work-related or even personal problems. If you’re dealing with issues affecting your work, your supervisor may cut you some slack whilst still ensuring that you’d finish your tasks. As a result, you can appreciate your job more and feel inspired to give your best.
Forming personal relationships at work is essential for your learning experiences. You are not a machine that only follows commands. Even if it’s not always welcome at work, your emotions play a role in your professional development. For instance, if you’re quick to anger, chances are no one would like to work with you. As a result, you’ll miss out on collaborations. On the contrary, if you’re a team player full of empathy, you’ll learn better organizational skills, as well as people management skills.
Are you learning lessons like those at work? If you feel more like a machine than a human being, you should start pondering if your job is really making you learn.
Reasons to Search for Proper Learning at Work
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To Make Your Career Path Clear
A good company values employee advancement. If your career progress is stagnant and your employer leaves it that way, your career path may become unclear. You have no idea what will become of you in two years or so.
You can talk to your HR to have this issue addressed. If you’re interested in pursuing studies, such as SGUS courses, your HR manager and supervisor should be supportive. If they see education as a hindrance to your job instead, that might be a sign that they’re not the right employer for you. A good employer should encourage professional development. Even if they didn’t budget, they should be open to the idea and willing to work around what an employee wishes.
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For Your Well-being
If your job constantly stresses you out or makes you skip meals, those aren’t signs that you’re undergoing a steep learning curve. It simply means your work culture doesn’t value employee well-being.
Yes, working overtime or stressing over a task can be normal. But it shouldn’t happen frequently. You can learn from your job without sacrificing your well-being. In fact, prioritizing your well-being is an important lesson at work. It teaches you that a good employee isn’t the one who’s deprived of sleep and meals. Instead, they take care of themselves and work with enough nutrition and energy. They also work smart, which means managing their time well to avoid rendering extra hours.
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To Stay Motivated
Even if you love your job, you can still feel unmotivated at times. But your motivation can continue to drop if your company doesn’t offer enough learning opportunities. Do you feel challenged and supported in your job? If you don’t, your motivation may not last long.
Whether through training, mentoring, or education, seeking learning opportunities should be among your goals wherever you are on your career ladder. It can restore your lost motivation or maintain its high levels. Just like your personal life, your professional life should also be filled with motivators.
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To Be the Best You Can Be
Lastly, proper learning at work will unleash your greatest potential. You can become the best version of yourself. When you attain that, you’ll become a more valuable asset to your company. People will depend on you, your opinions will be valued, you’ll have more control over your work, and you may even represent your company. So don’t stop searching for ways to learn.
Getting your dream job shouldn’t be the end goal. There’s always a new skill to learn and new information to discover. If every employer offers those, the majority of Singaporean employees will be satisfied with their jobs.
