Wait… what even is ‘better work’? Do I get more money? Less hours? A diamond pony to get to and from the office on? Well, that’s the thing, ‘better work’ is different for everyone, and imployable has recognised that since the foundation of the company in 2017!
imployable is focused on creating and providing work and job-searching equity – giving everyone the necessary tools and information for their own set of circumstances, to support them into ‘better work’.
Defining better work
For some, better work simply means a workplace with an environment and group of colleagues that suit your own personal values more. There is often a lack of transparency around working environments from the outside looking in, which can lead to disappointing surprises down the line once you become ‘part of the furniture’, but how do we cut that out? imployable’s app provides jobseekers an insight into typical working days and company values, enabling you to understand more about the businesses that you’re engaging with.
In some cases, it’s about the money! We get that, we’ve all been there, and with the nation undergoing the ‘cost of living crisis’ in the way that it is this has become more essential than ever before for many people looking to keep their heads above water. imployable has partnered with industry leading employers to benchmark countless workplace industries and give a clear insight ahead of time on expected salaries, career progression paths, and salary brackets for live vacancies within the app – meaning those looking for ‘better work’ through better money can make informed decisions before engaging with opportunities and make sure there are maximising their earning potential.
What we’re trying to say is that we recognise that there is no one definition of ‘better work’. What is considered ‘better’ for one person might not be considered the same for the next. Progression for one person might be considered a backwards step for another, depending on the goals of their career and wider life goals, and because of this it’s important to recognise that ‘better’ is entirely subjective.
So how do we create a culture of making ‘better work’ moves?
Remove the stigma that ‘the only way is up’
Promotions have historically been the carrot on the stick for workers, the incentive for working hard and performing well. This brings more money, more responsibility, more status, more of lots of things in a lot of cases. But is a promotion the best move for new parents who are looking to focus on their new family? Is upwards the best direction for someone struggling with career burnout or stagnation? In a vast number of cases, quality of life will be noticed to improve when people prioritise personal motivations and interests over those of their company, especially if the two may not be aligned.
Embrace the new
Career changes are scary, there’s no doubt, but let’s think about it in a different way.
Everyone remembers their first car – it’s an exciting moment, a rite of passage into adulthood in a way. It gave you freedom and independence, it enabled you to create memories that stay with you forever, it no doubt changed your life in those years. But some cars suffer badly with wear and tear (my first car used to accumulate water just above the passenger footwell so a hard right turn would soak a passenger’s feet, for example). The paint chips, the engine rattles, it costs more to run over the years as the check-ins, MOT’s and services become more expensive, so to save money in the long run you end up getting a new car. You sit in it for the first time and it’s exciting, but it FEELS very new and a bit strange, sometimes even scary – the seat feels different, the steering wheel is slightly higher/stiffer, the radio that you had in the old car is replaced with a neat little touchscreen that you need to learn to navigate, somehow the roads even look different?! It might take a while, but you pick it up quickly and in a week it’s like this had been your car all along.
This isn’t so different from the world of work – our careers enable us freedom and independence, in our early years and beyond. We create relationships, friendships and memories through work that can last a lifetime. But sometimes there is a little wear and tear that can make it more ‘expensive’ for us as people, mentally and physically, to maintain. And when this happens, it might be time to embrace something new. Embrace the learning curve that comes with something new, because somewhere along that curve you start to feel like you’ve been there all your life.
Conclusion
What we’re trying to emphasise here is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to finding ‘better work’. It’s important to identify personal values, and prioritise them when looking for something new. Sometimes you will have to go through new environments, new people, new processes, but ultimately ‘better work’ is not really ‘better work’. It’s work that is better for YOU.