3 key ingredients
There are three keys you must have if you want to enjoy your job. One is the know-how; the technical ability and skills to get the job done well. Two, you have to believe in the company’s mission. And three, you need some autonomy.
Now, I already knew this was true. My day-job employer delivers great landscaping service to mostly strata title (multi-family) complexes and the mission is obvious: keep the landscaping neat and healthy. I firmly believe in it.
As for technical know-how, I’ve got this covered, although I’m happy to confess that learning never stops. Just Google Red Seal Vas and see how humble I am about my technical skills. I got my Red Seal journeyman trade papers after working in the trade for fourteen years. And I’m still plugging away today after starting in 2000.
Autonomy is trickier because in my day-job I hop around between crews and help out, so I’m not technically in charge. We need the landscape foremen to learn how to lead crews. Of course, I have full autonomy when I work for myself.
Winter test
Luckily, my late winter schedule allowed me to test the tree keys to job satisfaction and it inspired this blog post. On Tuesdays I worked with another landscape manager who took charge of the sites because he had done them in the past few seasons. On the other three days – yes, we’re doing a 4-day week!- I worked solo. And I must say, the difference was stunning!
And I must say, the difference was stunning!
On Tuesdays, I was just another ‘bitch”, taking orders and some lip from the dude in charge. Do this, go there; are you done? Let’s go there; we need to cover this, etc. The day just flies by and usually doesn’t end on time at 4:45. How a nine-hour day isn’t enough time is beyond me but we can cover that in another blog post.
For the rest of the week I worked solo which is more demanding physically but beautiful psychologically. Every single decision-right or wrong!-is mine. I set the plan and execute it; and I’m responsible for the site look. Having autonomy is beautiful. Yes, if things go wrong or someone calls in to complain, I am responsible. But being in charge is awesome. I do what I think should be done on site. My notes clearly show what happened during the day; and the day ends on time.
Whatever didn’t get done gets pushed to next week, Remember, I was holding down the fort until a new foreman was hired. My job was to prepare the sites so the new hire would have an easier start. On Tuesdays, the maniac in charge would clean out the forest, leaving exactly three Douglas fir cones behind and putting the rest on my truck.
Conclusion
Now, I know that the three keys to your job satisfaction work well. What was really fun was seeing the new hire go through exactly what I went through. On Tuesdays she takes orders on her sites all day. She may or may not need that much help. Sometimes it’s close to micro-management. Her sweaty face said it all.
Then for the rest of the week she’s in charge and loves it. On one of her days, she works solo on a small site so she listens to her true-crime podcasts while she works. Time will tell how well she’s doing but she loves having autonomy just like me.
If you’re not enjoying your work days, see if you have all three job satisfaction ingredients in place.
