1

(^^The first image that came to mind when thinking of “happy at the office”…ha!)

After publishing a post to our vendor page regarding a long list of new job openings, it got me thinking about my past and current roles in my career and what I’ve liked and disliked about each of them. I feel like if you’re genuinely happy when you leave the office to head home at the end of the workday, you’re in a good place.

I’ve had jobs where I loved the work but disliked the atmosphere, and I’ve also had jobs where the work didn’t quite cut it but the atmosphere was fantastic. It’s all in what makes you happiest, and everyone is different.

I’d say the best part about my job is a good mix of both - the work is enjoyable and challenging enough to stay interesting, while the atmosphere is really what keeps me going. I also like the free snacks…that is a nice bonus. :wink:

What’s the best thing about your job? Do you have an awesome boss? Decked out pantry? Great benefits?

82 Spice ups
2

Autonomy. My boss doesn’t hand hold or micro manage. I keep her updated on what’s going on and reply whenever she needs something. Otherwise I’m left alone which offers a lot of flexibility.

79 Spice ups
3

Absolutely! My old boss was a super micro-manager, it makes it so difficult to work under that stress! Glad to hear that, she sounds like a great boss.

@jimmy-t

15 Spice ups
4

After doing a whole bunch of grunt jobs earlier in life, like call center robot, retail robot, factory robot robot and garbage robot, there’s not much to dislike about having a good IT job, but I think the big thing is that I feel respected here. I feel like a useful part of a good team, and nobody’s cracking a whip at me or breathing down my neck.

24 Spice ups
5

No micro-managing here. The IT team members I work with are good. I can reduce my away from home, by (occasionally)  working remotely. My job like many of you guys is a wide range of issues anything from writing an SQL query to finding and correcting hardware and network issues. So time seems to have a good pace.

6 Spice ups
6

The employee workforce is 85% female and the average age is 28.

One of my first jobs (decades ago) was working in a warehouse with the opposite demographics. Of the two, I find that these associates dress nicer, smell nicer, and have much more pleasant conversations. :slight_smile:

52 Spice ups
7

Friday @ five when I get to go home and forget about this place unless my phone rings?

But that’s why I’m trying to find a job I’m happy to do again.

I actually left an amazing job to be here. The old job was great, My boss didn’t watch the clock, he watched what I got done. If it happened in four hours and I spent the afternoon surfing the web, it was cool. Crappy day, take a two hour lunch. He was great, best boss ever. The job itself, was constantly morphing, if my boss suspected I was getting bored he’d find a curve ball to throw at me.

I only left it because I didn’t want to raise my kids in a Huge metro area. I actually wanted to see them grow up, not miss it all commuting.

10 Spice ups
8

That I am my own boss. Of course my clients are also my bosses. That I can provide work for people and I get to do what I love everyday. Do I love it all, every day…hell no. Users will be users. But I love the science and technology. IT is a way of life.

5 Spice ups
9

My boss is awesome and supports me and my dept. Also, our hours are extremely flexible. That being the case, I always work 50+ hours a week (only paid for 40) so when I need a day off, there’s no issue.

Also, holidays! I work in Education. I wonder how I would ever go back to corporate america. In Education, we get 1 week off for Thanksgiving, 2 weeks off for Christmas, 1 week for Spring Break, and 1 month off in the summer. I feel blessed to have this opportunity!

TL;DR - School sucks, unless you work there.

19 Spice ups
10

Being in a position where I can get things done, either myself or through my phenomenal staff.

11

my boss has no idea of what I do. as long as things work he is happy.

I am slowly implementing changes that my predecessor “left there because it works” and bringing the company into the 21st century. (MDaemon anyone - ugh)

I don’t get second guessed or micro managed and am fairly stress free. although there is a new POS system being developed so calm before the storm, but looking forward to that too.

6 Spice ups
12

I get to work from home.

10 Spice ups
13

I’m finally in a full-fledged network position. I fought for over 2 years at my last gig to get any network exposure, and was met with someone else getting hired for the spot that was supposed to have been mine. We can wear whatever we want here, as long as it’s not offensive. Every day is a learning experience. And, for the time being, as our floor is being renovated, we can work from home whenever we want without question.

6 Spice ups
14

Other than leaving for the day? :wink:

I guess finally having a seat at the table to make decisions. Really being on the cutting edge of the energy sector and watching it explode into new and exciting markets.

1 Spice up
15

every day at 5 i get to drink.

6 Spice ups
16

and where do you work? I need to work there.

@kirkwennerstrom7971

2 Spice ups
17

Nearly unlimited power, because no one understands what I do.

The pension is nice too.

7 Spice ups
18

No micro-managing here… and there are only 2 C-levels, both come from a development background, and both of them got my back.

That is a frighteningly open-ended policy. The word “offensive” has no place in a written policy.

2 Spice ups
19

The fact that I make my own schedule essentially. I do what needs to be done and then don’t get questioned when I surf the web or listen to a podcast, because I am available for emergencies and stay on top of my projects.

1 Spice up
20

Freedom, well to an extent anyway. It’s so great to have some real hands-on time with every (permissible) IT related thing that we do here, instead of being stuck in some virtual lab.