{"id":8573,"date":"2018-11-22T15:33:21","date_gmt":"2018-11-22T13:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bmkedev.wpengine.com\/?p=8573"},"modified":"2022-01-12T19:31:13","modified_gmt":"2022-01-12T17:31:13","slug":"salary-vs-job-satisfaction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction","title":{"rendered":"Salary Vs Job Satisfaction: Which One Makes You Happy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It is clear that a high salary and job satisfaction are high up in factors to consider when choosing a career. Sometimes, however, they may not come as a package and you have to make a choice. Some people feel satisfied with a high salary even when they do not like what they are doing, while others are happy doing what they are passionate about even if their monthly account balance isn\u2019t where they would want it to be.<\/p>\n<p>Having a good job is great, but is it paying you what you think you deserve? \u00a0If your salary range is acceptable, does your work excite 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?<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d065429f7e4\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d065429f7e4\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#Why_People_Change_Jobs\" >Why People Change Jobs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#Personal_Factors_that_Determine_Choice_of_Salary_Vs_Job_Satisfaction\" >Personal Factors that Determine Choice of Salary Vs Job Satisfaction<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#What_are_your_current_responsibilities\" >What are your current responsibilities?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#Level_in_Your_Career\" >Level in Your Career<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#The_Stage_You_Are_in_Your_Life\" >The Stage You Are in Your Life<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#Personal_Values_and_Principles\" >Personal Values and Principles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#Salary_Pros\" >Salary: Pros<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#Cons\" >Cons<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#Job_satisfaction_Pros\" >Job satisfaction: Pros<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#Cons-2\" >Cons<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/salary-vs-job-satisfaction\/#So_there_you_have_it\" >So, there you have it<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_People_Change_Jobs\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why People Change Jobs<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different people leave jobs at different levels of their career for various reasons. A <a class=\"article-body-links\"href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/job-market-report-december-2017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">study<\/a> by BrighterMonday revealed the reasons why employees leave their current employer as shown below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8580\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Desire-to-Change-Jobs_1.png\" alt=\"changing jobs\" width=\"848\" height=\"314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Desire-to-Change-Jobs_1.png 848w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Desire-to-Change-Jobs_1-770x285.png 770w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Desire-to-Change-Jobs_1-390x144.png 390w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 848px) 100vw, 848px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not surprising that the lure of a higher salary is top in the reasons why employees leave companies in Kenya, considering that over 50% of working individuals get a gross monthly salary of 50,000 and below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8579\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Salary-Factor.png\" alt=\"salaries in kenya\" width=\"848\" height=\"321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Salary-Factor.png 848w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Salary-Factor-770x291.png 770w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/The-Salary-Factor-390x148.png 390w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 848px) 100vw, 848px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Personal_Factors_that_Determine_Choice_of_Salary_Vs_Job_Satisfaction\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personal Factors that Determine Choice of Salary Vs Job Satisfaction<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_your_current_responsibilities\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are your current responsibilities? <\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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\u2019s 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. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Level_in_Your_Career\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level in Your Career<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/23.png\" alt=\"salary vs job satisfaction\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/23.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/23-378x198.png 378w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/23-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/23-770x404.png 770w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/23-600x315.png 600w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/23-390x205.png 390w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Young people are often more concerned with how much they get paid and not so much about how happy they are in a particular job. A <\/span><a class=\"article-body-links\"href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/best-100-companies-work-kenya-2018\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by BrighterMonday concluded that more employees above 40 years were more satisfied with what they do as compared to younger ones who were likely to leave a certain job or company for better pay. This means that as individuals grow, they tend to focus more on what they love as compared to the salary they receive from their work. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Stage_You_Are_in_Your_Life\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Stage You Are in Your Life<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Personal_Values_and_Principles\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personal Values and Principles<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In every job setting, different individuals have different ideologies that they hold dear to them. For instance, someone may choose to turn down a high salary once they realize that the job in a way could tamper with their own path of happiness. 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 receive. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are some of the few factors that influence how an individual\u2019s salary relates to the satisfaction they get from doing what they love. Ideally, having a high paying salary for what you are passionate about is a sign of success and career fulfillment. 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: <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Salary_Pros\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salary: Pros<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/24.png\" alt=\"salary vs job satisfaction\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/24.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/24-378x198.png 378w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/24-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/24-770x404.png 770w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/24-600x315.png 600w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/24-390x205.png 390w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Financial security:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Salary automatically translates to better financial security. Let\u2019s think about it, who doesn\u2019t want that? Knowing your bills are always catered for will always guarantee that you will stay in that job, regardless of whether you enjoy it or not. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Work motive: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you understand 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 recognises 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cons\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cons<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b>Stagnates ambition: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Work Stress: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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? \u00a0If you don\u2019t 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. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Job_satisfaction_Pros\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Job satisfaction: Pros<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8575\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/22.png\" alt=\"salary vs job satisfaction\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/22.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/22-378x198.png 378w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/22-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/22-770x404.png 770w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/22-600x315.png 600w, https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/22-390x205.png 390w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>New avenues for growth: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Career fulfillment: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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&#8217;t feel satisfied with your work, you will only do it \u201c<\/span><a class=\"article-body-links\"href=\"https:\/\/qz.com\/819233\/do-what-you-love-is-bad-advice-work-for-money-not-for-passion\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for the money<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cons-2\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cons<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b>Success takes time: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Value of input may not be enough: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_there_you_have_it\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, there you have it <\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What if you might have a well-get a high-paying job but constantly feel stressed at work, or the culture of the company is off. Your chances of <\/span><a class=\"article-body-links\"href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/job-hopping\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hopping from one job to another<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> increase. is higher than someone doing the same job they love, even sometimes with a lesser pay. However, this does not mean that you have to get stuck in a particular situation and struggle to attain your financial goals. Considering both sides of the approach can help\u00a0you to make the right\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"article-body-links\"href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/career-choices\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">career choices<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, dependent on what works for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So,\u00a0would you rather have job satisfaction or a high salary? <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is clear that a high salary and job satisfaction are high up in factors to consider when choosing a career. Sometimes, however, they may not come as a package and you have to make a choice. Some people feel satisfied with a high salary even when they do not like what they are doing, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":8578,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"content_author":[],"class_list":["post-8573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-development"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8573"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8573\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8573"},{"taxonomy":"content_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_author?post=8573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}