Go Where You are Celebrated

We spend at least 40 hours per week at work, quite literally half our lives. Life is way too short to live in a state of constant stress and misery. We hear this quote all the time - “Go where you’re celebrated, not tolerated.” Yet, many of us find ourselves in jobs where we’re not valued at all.

I have friends who do not particularly care for their jobs. Majority of these people are professionals - highly educated, ambitious and driven. However, as young professionals we sometimes find ourselves in situations and around employers that take advantage - We are often times under valued, put in stressful environments, disrespected and some times even pressured into unethical situations.

Employers some times make the mistake of putting profit over people - squeezing every ounce of productivity out of employees. The time isn’t taken to celebrate the team’s success and often times there’s a “do as you’re told” environment that diminishes creativity and dampens morale.

Brigette Hyacinth - author of The Ultimate Leader: Learning, Leading and Leaving a Legacy of Hope highlights some key points on how Employers should treat employees:

Appreciation - Show your employees that you appreciate them. You might be surprised at how much a small gesture means. Taking credit for the work of employees or not recognizing their contributions is also a sure way to lose points.

Empathy - Show that you sincerely care about your their well being. Employees want to be treated as human beings. They have feelings, emotions and personal lives.

Respect - If you respect employees, you will not encroach on their personal time by asking them to work late, on weekends or interrupting them while they are on vacation.

Autonomy - If you hired someone to do a job, then trust them to do it well, A manager's job is to provide guidance and support - not to micromanage people.

Growth and Development - Employees can interpret an employer’s unwillingness to invest in or recommend opportunities as a disregard for their professional development.

Go Where you’re Celebrated, not tolerated. If they can’t see your real value, it might be time for a new start.

Too many of us are hanging around in places, relationships, jobs where we are not valued - where the life is literally being sucked out of us. Why? Perhaps because of fear or lack of confidence in ourselves and in our abilities. If you find yourself feeling anything but celebrated, perhaps it's time to start moving in circles where your talents and skills are appreciated.

Working in an environment that you are merely tolerated will only hold you back. Instead, try to work for loyal employers who appreciate your talents and will give you opportunities to grow and develop.