Work Wise

How many people love their jobs? How many people see the work they do as a career and not just a pay cheque? How many people feel valued by the company/organisation that they work for?

From what I have heard lately... not many.

So many people in their 20's, and even those in their 30's and 40's are feeling jaded and dissatisfied in the work place.

While I can't speak for the baby-boomers or generation x-ers, I can say that us 20-somethings aren't happy. There are a number of reasons for that- the most important being that we want more- more freedom, more flexibility, more benefits, more money and more power. We are ambitious, we are honest and we are driven by ethics and morality (well most of us anyway). We want to feel that what we do makes a difference and we want to feel that we are valued by the people we work with and work for.

We don't want to go to work everyday just to put the bread on the table, we want to work for something, something important, something we believe in. We want to experience passion in the workplace and we won't settle for anything less.

So what can we do?

It is all about finding a good fit ... and the fit has a lot more to do with the employer than the actual job. If you had told me this five years ago I would not have believed it. But do yourself a favour... imagine your dream job... then throw in a group of unfriendly colleagues, an ungrateful boss, no benefits, a tiny salary, few opportunities to show your talent-set... well, then, what do you have left? Still your dream job?

So how do we find this best fit? This wonderful employer and possibly our dream job? Well its a long process, but I might be able to help.

You can start by getting a very clever book. Its called (and you won't believe this) 'Best Employers'. Yes- its true- a group of very intelligent people (called the CRF institute) decided to put together a list of all the best companies to work for in South Africa (why didn't I think of that?)


Want to know which companies offer medical aid, retirement annuities, 6-months paid maternity leave, subsidised meals, on-site gym, preschool, free financial advice, a coffee bar and sessions with a beauty therapist? Want to know more about the company culture and style of some of South Africa's biggest businesses? Or just want to find out about what qualities they look for in future employees?

Then you need to get yourself this book. I did and it now has a permanent spot on my bedside table. If I read an interesting article about a local company or see a job that I am tempted to apply for... I go to my copy of Best Employers and see where they are on the list of Best Employers in South Africa.

You can get your own copy of Best Employers South Africa 2010/11 at Exclusive Books, Wordsworth or Adams and Co.

Or you can get a copy FOR FREE by taking part in a very exciting giveaway!

The lovely and friendly people at the CRF Institute have given me three copies of the Best Employers book to send to three lucky readers.

All you have to do to be entered into the draw is-

1. become a follower of this blog (if you are already a follower you are halfway there already)
2. leave a comment on this post (tell me about your dream job OR what is most important to you in the workplace OR why you love/hate your job)

And for an extra entry in the draw- refer a friend (ask them to use YOUR full name at the end of their comment).

Its that easy! I will do the draw at 12:00 on Sunday, 13 March. So start following, get commenting and the book could be yours!