Anonymous wrote:I am certain that the leadership of most organizations would love/hate to ask this question of their people. Some leaders honestly want to know the truth because they know that an engaged workforce is essential to success. Other leaders don't want to know that half their people dread coming into work and have checked out long ago.
In the end, most organizations don't ask.

I like what I do but hate the job (the pay, the management, the dysfunction). I'm showing up every day and smiling while actively looking elsewhere.

Fed here. We're asked yearly for the survey. And then we respond truthfully and it's like we pump our answers into a black hole. No one reads them and no one cares. Which is even more demoralizing than not having been asked.

No, but it provides a great life...so I love that!

I currently SAH with a little bit of freelancing, but I looooved what I did before I made the change. (Ok, I loved most of it--I could have done without some of the administrative work. ) My freelancing is very fulfilling now, and I have the opportunity to transition it to a more full-time position when DS goes to elementary school.

I work in drama education, both teaching creative drama and using the arts to teach core content in the classroom. I also occasionally work as a dramaturg ("script consultant"), working with playwrights to revise their work and make it awesome. Sometimes, I dip my toes into writing plays myself.

I've had jobs in the past that I cared about - but not this one. The pay is amazing, and the flexibility allows me to be present for my family that's priceless, but care about the work? or the people? Any trained monkey could do this - and that's pretty much how I feel here most of the time!

I am certain that the leadership of most organizations would love/hate to ask this question of their people. Some leaders honestly want to know the truth because they know that an engaged workforce is essential to success. Other leaders don't want to know that half their people dread coming into work and have checked out long ago.
In the end, most organizations don't ask.

I like what I do but hate the job (the pay, the management, the dysfunction). I'm showing up every day and smiling while actively looking elsewhere.

I care a lot about my work. I chose a career that I think is meaningful. The specific job has its ups and downs, but the substance of the work matters to me.

I'm a teacher. I care deeply. I didn't always want to teach, but I do consider it a sacred charge. If I do a shitty job, it really impacts my student's present and future circumstances.

Don't give a rat's ass about it.
It's all pure twaddle. I checked out years ago, and see no end in sight.

For the first time in my life, I love my job. I didn't even mind working an 11-hour day today b/c I really like what I do, I like my colleagues and I love the sense of achievement I get from my work. I spent many years in a job I didn't like b/c it afforded me flexibility when my kids were little. Spending time in the office was soul-crushing but being in that kind of environment has made me really appreciate my current workplace.

If you have to spend so much time at work, you should at least try to enjoy what you do.

Anonymous wrote:I care about my job because I am a teacher and I get to see results fairly quickly. I'm an ESOL teacher and some of my students who didn't speak a word of English in September can now have a mini conversation with me. They can follow along in class and one of my students just started reading. He was so excited and amazed that he did this hysterical laughing as he read. The rest of teaching can go to hell (testing, testing, data, data, meetings about testing and data, etc).

Another ESOL teacher here. +1. But there was a time where I made my job my life and it was miserable. It took me a long time to figure out how to leave work at work. There's always something more I could be doing, but I had to learn how to put my own family first. It is a great feeling to know you're making a difference in kids' lives on a daily basis, though. I also wish the other bullshit would go to hell.

I think there is a saying, most people love their jobs - it's the management that drives them out/away.

I care about my job because I am a teacher and I get to see results fairly quickly. I'm an ESOL teacher and some of my students who didn't speak a word of English in September can now have a mini conversation with me. They can follow along in class and one of my students just started reading. He was so excited and amazed that he did this hysterical laughing as he read. The rest of teaching can go to hell (testing, testing, data, data, meetings about testing and data, etc).

I'm in sales and I love my job. I make great money and can be creative. I have complete flexibility as long as I hit goal. I'm left alone and fin thr people I work with pleasant.

Whrn not at a client, I WFH and this job allows me to be the kind of mom I want to be and give my family a nice life.

I'm a fed and love my job. Took me many years of education to get here and I feel grateful to be able to impact health and lives (medical research at the NIH).

Love being a professor, and consider myself very fortunate.

I think that 99% of the world works as a matter of necessity. Those of us in professions that we believe have a greater purpose tend to find value in their work independent of pay (although, of course, good pay is very welcome).