Salary Vs Job contentment: Which one makes you content

It is understandable that a high salary and job satisfaction are high up in factors to consider when choosing a career. from time to time, however, they may not come as a package and you have to make a choice. Some people feel content with a high salary even when they do not like what they are doing, while others are pleased doing what they are passionate about even if their monthly account balance isn’t where they would want it to be.

Having a good job is great, but is it paying you what you think you worthy of? If your salary range is good enough, does your work motivate you? Do you like the culture at work? Do you get excited at the start of each day, or do you have to drag yourself to work, constantly asking yourself if the job is worth it?

Why People Change Jobs

Different people depart jobs at different levels of their career for different reasons. A study by TopSomaliJobs discovered the reasons why employees depart their current employer.

It is not surprising that the attract of a higher salary is top in the reasons why employees leave companies/Organizations in Somalia, bearing in mind that over 50% of working individuals get a gross monthly salary of $500 and below.

Individual Factors that Determine

Choice of Salary Vs Job Satisfaction

What are your current responsibilities?

Responsibilities have a way of defining our roles and lifestyles, both at work and in our daily lives. In this case, it is natural to place more importance to money as compared to job satisfaction. Think of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. You need to satisfy the most basic needs before moving up the ladder to begin thinking of job satisfaction. Once your basic needs are in a stable zone, you now begin thinking of factors like work-life balance and office culture.

Level in Your Career

Young people are regularly more concerned with how much they get paid and not so much about how content they are in a particular job. A report by TopSomaliJobs concluded that more employees above 38 years were more contented with what they do as compared to younger ones who were likely to leave a certain job or company for improved pay. This means that as individuals grow, they tend to focus more on what they love as compared to the salary they get from their work.

The phase You Are in Your Life

It is easier to consider a high salary rather than satisfaction at your job when all you need to take care of is yourself. This is the reason why an individual who has no extensive budget, is likely to prefer happiness at his job, more than the salary he receives while someone who has an established family will consider the aspect of job security and financial status.

Individual Values and Principles

In each job setting, diverse individuals have diverse ideologies that they hold dear to them. For example, someone may decide to turn down a high salary once they comprehend that the job in a way could tamper with their own path of contentment. This could be in a case where someone would consider factors such as his/her religion, political stand or personal principles more important than the high salary they stand to get.

These are some of the not many factors that influence how an individual’s salary relates to the contentment they get from doing what they keen on. Perfectly, having a high paying salary for what you are avid about is a mark of success and career achievement. It is not always the case though, therefore finding a way to be happier with your salary and your job can be a way to solve the two. Here are the pros and cons of salary vs job satisfaction:

Salary: Pros

• Financial security: Salary automatically translates to improved financial security. Let’s think about it, who doesn’t want that? Knowing your bills are always catered for will always pledge that you will stay in that job, despite of whether you enjoy it or not.
• Work drive: When you realize that you will always receive your salary for completion of a specific task, chances are you will ensure the targets of the job are met. Additionally, in a company that recognizes effort, it is more likely to work smarter to help you get the compensation as money matters a lot to you than job satisfaction in this point of your career.

Cons

• Stand still ambition: Once you set yourself up just for the money, chances are your ambition and passion will take the back seat and watch you get paid for what you do. You will remain focused on getting that salary every month with no opportunities to go after your interests, making you redundant and non-progressive.
• Work Stress: Getting paid for work gives a good feeling, but what if you have to drag yourself to work every morning so you can be at your desk in time and finish your daily tasks? If you don’t enjoy what you do, any extra information on your daily activities can prove detrimental to your flow of work as you have to tune your mind into accepting extra work.

Job satisfaction: Pros

• latest avenues for growth: Every day is a new opportunity to learn something new, as you constantly aspire to get new innovations on what you do. Passion drives the desire to get new inventions as you desire to make your work easier and more interesting. Imagine if you find a new way to tackle a challenge every other day, would you trade it for anything else?
• Career fulfillment: Doing something you love brings satisfaction to your career as every day, you find meaning in what you do. If the cheques stop coming in, are you still willing to do that job? Some people would rather take on a job they love and work themselves upwards for a better pay. If you love what you do, you would do it even if money was not an option, and if you don’t feel satisfied with your work, you will only do it “for the money”

Cons

• Success takes time: Being happy with what you do can definitely be fulfilling. However, how will you pay for those bills at the end of the month? For instance, if you are passionate about the writing or art industry, getting to a financial breakthrough may take time, and if you have no other avenues for meeting your financial targets, job satisfaction can be adverse and thus the salary factor comes in.
• Value of input may not be enough: imagine, you finally got that job you always wished you would get and would do anything to stay for it. However, the amount of input you have on the company as compared the output you get is not as per your standards. This can divert your attention and slow down your progress.

So, would you rather have job satisfaction or a high salary?