Working at Google? Free lunches? A six figure salary? Ability to work from home?
These are all “work conditions”, or formally known as “hygiene factors”. And I’m here to tell you that cannot provide you job satisfaction. They can only prevent dissatisfaction.
That means that, if you didn’t have these things: you would complain about them.
So what can give you job satisfaction then?
How does this relate to finding my dream job?
This is an elaboration on Herzberg’s two-factor theory.
Don’t seek hygiene factors e.g. “I want to work at Google! Have you heard about how amazing their office is?”, instead, seek motivating factors “I really find meaning in doing this type of work, I would probably even do it in my free time.”
With that in mind, you should probably first define what type of work you like doing, then second define what type of company you’d like to work for.
As a sidenote, I’ve actually been to the Google office. It’s true, they have slides and fuzzy carpets, and free 24/7 lunches! But still, I’ll abstain from saying I’d love to work there, since I have no idea if I’d be interested in the actual work.
Now to put this idea on a catapult and launch it further, I’m wondering if this can apply to spousal relationships. E.g. Physical attractiveness is a “condition” that cannot provide you relationship satisfaction, it can only prevent dissatisfaction.
Let me know your thoughts!