By mid-September, most of us are back at work after the summer break, although some lucky souls may still be recharging their batteries in their holiday destination of choice.

Like the new year, the end of summer and the return to work often go hand in hand with good resolutions – the desire to make changes and put what really matters back in the centre of our work life.

Today, I’d like to suggest a good resolution that’s close to my heart: give our work meaning.

Why this resolution? Because our motivation depends on the meaning we give to our work, and from that motivation stems our commitment, which is one of the five values spelled out by the Laboratory in its Code of Conduct.

CERN’s mission alone gives our work infinite meaning. Whatever our profession, position and responsibilities, we all contribute to the scientific research carried out at CERN, with no other purpose than to further human knowledge. This mission, which we all serve, gives what we do its primary purpose.

But that’s not enough. Setting aside the Laboratory’s mission, we also have to find purpose in our own activities. Here are a few pointers for rediscovering the meaning in your work:

Remember why you work

Remember that your work is a service you provide to the people you care about in your personal life: your children, your extended family, your friends. This is the overriding purpose of your work: to have the means to build a life for you and for them.

List your activities

Think about which activities give you a deep sense of satisfaction. Are you particularly satisfied when you make a good presentation? Do you like to transmit knowledge? Do you enjoy finding solutions to complex problems? Do you like to innovate in accomplishing your objectives?  If so, these are the activities that are meaningful for you.

Make time for those activities

Make sure you set aside time in your diary to focus on those activities. If you like to transmit knowledge, sign up for some training in that field, write, invest time in mastering presentation software. If problem solving is what makes you tick, set aside time to tackle new challenges. Seek out some colleagues who are passionate about the same subject and bounce ideas off each other.

Think about how your work benefits others

What is the purpose of my work? Is it to report in a reliable and clear way to the Organization’s stakeholders? Is it to supply safe, high-quality equipment to a team that will integrate it into a more complex system? Is it to provide researchers with the computing capacity they need? When all’s said and done, it’s our ability to connect our daily work – consciously and tangibly – to the people it benefits that gives it purpose.

Bring a fresh approach to your work and hone your expertise

There is always more than one way to do the same thing. Striving constantly to improve your know-how makes work more interesting. 

Focus on relationships, not just results 

Our colleagues are as important as our work, and an altruistic approach to workplace relationships is a sure-fire way to give our work meaning. Make an effort to get to know your colleagues (better) and beware the labels – too serious, lazy, boastful or ambitious, etc. – that are the result of snap judgements. Your personality and skills are unique – what’s the best way to share them? The ties we forge with others are what define us; with an average of 90 000 hours of our lives spent at work, that’s where those ties are forged. 

It’s much easier to be motivated by our work when it really means something to us and thus gives our existence meaning. That meaning does not appear by magic; it must be consciously sought and created. Sometimes, that also implies changing the way we think about work. 

I wish you all the best as you get back to work in a meaningful way!

Laure Esteveny

I want to hear from you – feel free to email ombud@cern.ch with any feedback or suggestions for topics you’d like me to address.