New research from Perceptyx, a global leader in employee listening and actioning for a better workplace, has identified the 10 essential attributes for a fulfilling career—and revealed that women don’t have enough of them.
Researchers at Perceptyx’s Center for Workforce Transformation surveyed 8,423 workers across the U.S. and Europe in a two-part scientific study to determine the predictors and outcomes of a fulfilling career. They found that career fulfillment depends on 10 attributes:
- career pride;
- identity;
- career-life integration;
- stability;
- purpose;
- value alignment;
- autonomy;
- connectedness;
- growth and development; and
- organizational satisfaction.
The ideal number of attributes for a fulfilling career is eight or more. Workers with eight attributes are more than twice as likely to say they are satisfied with their life and three times more likely to choose the same career again than those who excel in just one or two—even if those one or two attributes are traditional hallmarks of achievement, such as stability (financial success) or purpose (making a difference in the world).
“We’re bombarded work ever-changing messages about the secrets to career success,” says Emily Killham, senior director and head of the Center for Workforce Transformation at Perceptyx. “One year, we hear we need purpose-led careers. The next, the quiet quitters and bare minimum Monday advocates are telling us it’s about work-life balance. The truth is, achieving real career fulfillment isn’t about excelling in just one area. It requires alignment across personal, professional, and organizational dimensions In short, you need a little bit of a lot of things to feel fulfilled in your career.”
The study finds that 31% of men have at least eight attributes, while only 28% of women have reached this milestone, a statistically significant difference. Men also scored higher on each attribute. Men are more likely to score highly on stability (financial success) and identity (feeling that their greatest accomplishments in life are career-related and that their career is a primary factor in life decisions).
“This study takes a broad look at how men and women compare across all aspects of their career,” says Killham. “Interestingly, we found that men and women need the same things to feel fulfilled, but women are less likely to feel they’ve achieved them. We see the persistent gender pay gap reflected in the finding that women are less likely to feel they have stability. But it was surprising to also find that women are less likely to feel their career represents who they are and their values.”
Collecting the attributes necessary for a fulfilling career doesn’t happen overnight. This can make it more difficult for younger workers. Only about 20% of survey respondents in Gen Z have accumulated the magic number of eight attributes, while that number is more than 35% for baby boomers. Regardless of generation, the impact on outcomes is similar when you reach that threshold. One notable generational difference: the youngest workers were most in need of career-life Integration to minimize stress, well above the other attributes, while older generations indicated that other attributes, such as organizational satisfaction and values alignment are more important.
A fulfilling career transforms an employee’s day-to-day experience, positively impacts their physical and mental health, reduces stress, and fosters long-term life satisfaction. The effects are also felt by the organizations that employ them since fulfilled employees are more productive, innovative, and loyal–all critical drivers of business success.
For example, compared to workers with only two or fewer career attributes, those with eight or more are more likely to say their productivity and quality of work have increased in the past year. They are also more likely to say their physical health is improving, more likely to say their mental health is improving, and twice as likely to have low stress levels.
