What Ingredient is Essential to Career Success?

According to personal branding expert Will Arruda, people often miss one essential ingredient to career success, which is a connection to others. Rather than looking for employers for monetary reasons and ways to further a career, more and more workers want to make a human connection with a company. Arruda points out that the 2017 commencement address at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania contained an unusual theme.

Not Conquering the World

Instead of talking about conquering the world of business, Tai Bendit implored his fellow Wharton graduates to find love in the workplace. His senior thesis noted that people who engaged in 15 minutes of loving-mindfulness meditation scored better on the Implicit Association Test. Employees who meditated showed less bias toward others. The graduate also pointed to another study of employees at a long-term care facility; those who showed compassion toward patients enjoyed better job performance and teamwork skills.

This type of human connection is what was missing from many companies during the 1990s and early 2000s. Then, millennials entered the workplace, and companies and employees alike recognized that career success and business prowess came from love. Companies began to love their customers, and that love translated to passionate employees who found their niche with companies who they felt made a difference to customers.

When companies have more love, more people find career success. One study shows this is true, in part due to the fact that many companies hire based on employee referrals as opposed to traditional applications.

Friends Lead to Career Success

According to one Gallup poll, having a best friend at work creates a better work environment. People who have a best friend at work said they received praise for their work at least once per week. Slightly more than one-quarter of people with a best buddy at work also reported the mission of the company made them feel important and their opinions counted at work. This leads to employees who feel as if they can give their best at work every day. So love isn't necessarily looking at the person across from your cubicle with googly eyes; it's about connecting with your co-workers. A poll from The Creative Group notes that around 44 percent of people hug co-workers on a regular basis.

How Do You Know You Love Your Job?

Take stock of a few signs that indicate whether you love your job. Your work relationships should uplift you rather than drag you down, and you should cheerfully help others without any expectation in return. People should also praise your work ethic. All of these good feelings create an atmosphere of trust and show you're someone who gets the job done. This forms the basis for a promotion and furthering your career. When you show love to colleagues, your career loves you back.

Career success comes from working hard, having a lot of skills and gaining experience. However, it also comes down to love. If you don't have an emotional, loving connection with others at the office, everything else may not matter.

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