Do you feel your work matters?

This post is written by Ann Sofie Baeck, a Policy Analyst in Canada.

• The problem: Bureaucracy and slow-moving projects can make us question if the work we do is actually having an impact.
• Why it matters: A motivated workforce is essential to delivering the bottom line in government: improving citizens’ lives.
• The solution: Finding ways to make your work matter to you in order to stay energised and make a difference.

When thinking of government, terms such as ‘bureaucracy’, ‘hierarchy’, ‘large organisation’ and ‘resistant to change’ come to mind. As public servants, it is easy to get lost in the bureaucratic web we navigate daily and wonder if what we do matters. Especially when - for the umpteenth time - we are rushing to finish yet another document before a tight deadline that just disappears into the void. This article will explore how my experiences have impacted me and how I view my position as a public servant, as well as some tips that may help you to feel that your job has an impact.

My early experiences

My experience in government spans over several countries and levels and goes back to my first job after graduating from university, as a project manager for a local government. Even though I knew when accepting the job that I would be working to tight deadlines, I had no idea about the obstacles I would face internally, how slow things could move in government and, for this reason, how close I would come to not meeting the deadlines set by our external financer i.e., the national government. On one occasion, I had to book a meeting with my supervisor’s boss saying I needed their signature for an application. I used that meeting not only to get that signature but also to make them read the work I had done (whilst I sat next to them). As they had failed to read, give feedback and approve it for a month or longer, this was the only solution as the deadline for the project was days away.

Finding ways to make your work matter to you is the first step towards staying motivated and ensuring your role has an impact on society.

My takeaway from this first position was that no one cared about the project or how it could help our most vulnerable citizens. I felt as if I was just there to enable my employer to tick a box and use the money they had been granted to do the bare minimum required for them to be compliant with the applicable legislation. That belief stayed with me until my third job, which was at a non-governmental organisation a couple of years later.

A change in perspective

Before my third job, I had only worked for local governments and not had the chance to see how the work I did translated into reality for our citizens. My third role changed that, as it allowed me to work directly with citizens impacted by policies I had previously developed. I acknowledge I have been privileged to be able to work in the same field both in government and for a non-governmental organisation, which has given me first-hand experience of what limitations and possibilities government policies have on an individual’s ability to help citizens and citizens’ rights in relation to government. I have tried ever since to remember this lesson, but it has not been easy and some jobs I have had have simply not been a good fit for me. Really, what I need to feel is that my work matters for both me and the people I/we serve.

Finding a job where I feel I have an impact is incredibly important to me as it is a motivation to keep developing and keep getting better at what I do. You might have another way to make your work matter, or you might have the same; we are all different. For the remainder of this article, I will provide you with some tips that have helped me to find a position that feels meaningful and impactful to me. This is not a magic solution and will obviously not work for everyone, but I hope you will find it helpful if you are struggling in this area.

• Identify what makes you feel that you have an impact. For some, it might be working on technological solutions, for others working directly with citizens and everything in between. What is important is to find what works for you.
• Think about the areas you are interested in working. Personally, I have found working in areas I have limited or no interest in always makes me question the point in doing it, whereas working in areas I am curious about and want to learn more about energises me. It is not always about the money, sometimes it is about finding that one thing that makes you feel like, “wow, what I do matters”. Take me as an example: in the past couple of years, I have changed jobs and subject areas whilst keeping the same title and overarching objectives. Just changing subject areas from one I wasn’t as interested in to one I feel excited about has made a big difference in how impactful my work feels.

Finding ways to make your work matter to you is the first step towards staying motivated and ensuring your role has an impact on society. Let’s not forget: no matter what job we do, it influences our government’s interactions with the public.

Remember: what we do matters!

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(Image Credit: Unsplash)