I once attended a personal finances seminar. It was nothing sensational ... just a "nuts & bolts" common sense overview. But I'll always remember the speaker's leadoff point:

"Number 1, ... you MUST be gainfully employed."

This doesn't necessarily mean you have to be an "employee." ... You could be self-employed, for example, but the key was you MUST have a dependable income stream, ... enough to meet your basic needs. As someone else has said, "If your INCOME doesn't exceed your OUTGO, your UPKEEP will become your DOWNFALL!"

Once we have funds to meet our basic needs, we are confronted with an array of goods, services, and spending opportunities as diverse as all mankind! The choices we make as to how we'll spend our money, how we'll make more, how much money will be "enough" for us, etc., are affected by personality, family background, education, and many other socio-economic factors.

Some people have wanted to work in a certain field from childhood and will stay with that choice until it is realized. Others change their minds often, or may find that they are forced to change through circumstances beyond their control. Others find themselves in a profession simply because they needed a job and took one!

We've all come to our present circumstance through various means. Maybe you're exactly where you'd like to be on a career path you've been planning ... or maybe you're not. Regardless, a lot of research has been done to determine what makes people happy or fulfilled in their work. Surveys that ask this question come up with things like good pay, a challenging position, professional status, a feeling of making a difference or a meaningful contribution, and being appreciated ... and NOT necessarily in that order. In fact, those last few are often ranked most important! Most people will be happier when they feel that their work is both important and appreciated.

This is critical for managers to understand, because any company COULD express more appreciation to their employees and to show them how their efforts contribute to the whole. Sadly, there are shortsighted business owners and managers, who think, "Hey, my people all get a regular paycheck ... that ought to be enough!" We know today that it is NOT enough.

ALL jobs can get old after awhile. Especially when the person feels trapped, unappreciated, put down, or unimportant. The wise manager will show appreciation for employees' efforts. And not necessarily just in the form of more

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