Have you ever wondered why some people perform well in one job and then when moved to a similar role elsewhere, perform worse? What is it that makes the difference when the person is the same and the jobs are in a similar field? I have seen and experienced this first hand, and the only way I can begin to explain it is by understanding people’s working styles, known as values.
Consider someone working in a service skilled area, providing services that cater to the tastes, desires and welfare of others. Such a person would typically value:
- being social → helping others and appreciating the work of charitable service groups
- being practical → having an appreciation of practical ways to assist people and efficient ways of doing things
- being supportive → being a good follower, not needing to exert authority over others, but to support others’ decisions.
One example of someone in this kind of profession would be a preschool teacher. If they were transferred to a different preschool—with their new job having more emphasis on documentation away from the children, being more carefree (requiring a less diligent, more light-hearted, imaginative approach), or requiring them to be in charge, directing colleagues more often—then they might feel less comfortable or fulfilled in the role because of a required shift in values. Many of the things they valued about their role would have changed significantly, leading to stress, reduced job satisfaction and poor performance.
Understanding work values and how they impact performance in a role is key to achieving a good job fit. Considering work values can help people choose a career that will suit them and the way they like to operate. It is so important that interest areas not be the only things considered in determining your students’ or clients’ futures. You really need to use a multidimensional approach to ensure they do not receive shallow or misguiding advice that could impact them for decades—use a career assessment tool that looks at the whole person: their abilities, interests and values.