What Makes Us Feel Good About Our Work?

Have you ever wondered what truly motivates you to work? What are the underlying psychological principles that keep us going to work every day? In the TED video “What makes us feel good about our work?,” Dan Ariely discusses what key factors must be present in order to keep workers happy and enthusiastic about their jobs. He also applies these principles to simple tasks we perform such as building our own IKEA furniture.

In a simplistic view, people think money is the primary thing that motivates us to work, but is that true for everyone? Other factors are involved that make us feel good about our work.

Enjoyment is one key principle that motivates people. If you are in a specific field that you gives you joy, it will show in your results. Meaningful work also plays a big part in job satisfaction, such as if your work strives toward helping the company succeed or making a difference for your community or others (like a successful event!).

Acknowledgement also plays a large role in motivation and better work outcomes. When you get credit for your hard work, it pushes you to continue to go above and beyond.

A final aspect that Dan addresses about what makes us feel good about our work is putting in effort. When we actually put effort toward what we do, the end result is much better than if we were to complete the task half-heartedly. Knowing that your labor and time paid off with a successful result affirms that you know what you are doing and encourages you to keep it up!

Watch the TED video to learn more!