Reference no: EM133185800

"Feeling good about work" - Dan Ariely

The key takeaway from Ariely's talk is the importance of meaning in work motivation. No one wants to feel as if their work is meaningless or doesn't matter. No one wants to work hard on a project just for it to be destroyed. Also, regardless of if you enjoy the work if there is no meaning motivation for the task plummets. Also, the importance of progress or the feeling of progress that is important in work.

In terms of connections, during one of my internships, I was not provided a lot of work, and the work that I was provided felt meaningless. I was tasked with collecting serial numbers or plugging information into a template. I found it difficult to go to work each day as there was almost no meaning. I worked to try and get more work, but I was told since I was just a co-op that there was no other work for me to do. Based on the readings, there are several recommendations that I would make to improve work satisfaction. The main recommendation is to create a sense of purpose and meaning. Ariely discussed the importance of meaning a lot. Therefore, I think it would be extremely beneficial for managers to work to keep employees engaged and satisfied with their work. It is important that people feel connected to their work and engaged. Like the example in Ariely's talk, if the people working for the Software company were continuously engaged with the project they had been assigned even after it had been canceled then they would have been happier. They felt that the company shouldn't have just dropped the project but let them present the project or try to incorporate the work they had completed in another application. I think another recommendation would be for there to be growth opportunities. This is an idea that I pulled from the motivation chapter. I think it is extremely important for people to visibly see areas where they can grow. Opportunities for growth add motivation and excitement.

Ariely, Dan. "What Makes Us Feel Good about Our Work?" Dan Ariely: What Makes Us Feel Good about Our Work? | TED Talk