In his New York Times bestseller, Great Work, David Sturt asserts that most of the fulfillment we experience comes not from finding that one-in-a-million position, but in making a difference in the job we already have. For him “making a difference” is the key to most employee engagement issues in the world. No matter where you live or who you are, you need to feel you are adding value to something bigger than yourself. If you don’t, a lack of self-worth will quickly lead to depression and disengagement, he says. Furthermore, the behavioral economist Dan Ariely made several experiments and concluded that the basic human need to feel that their work mattered had a massive impact on how engaged they were in their job and the results they delivered.

What’s your opinion? What motivates you to work?

Read the full article written by HR Executive Louis Efron “Do you have to change jobs to find happiness?” and the infographic “Work engaged, Work inspired”

Want to know more? Have a look at the presentation of two eye-opening experiments that reveal our unexpected and nuanced attitudes toward meaning in our work, the TED video with the behavioral economist Dan Ariely “What makes us feel good about our work?”