People find meaning in work in six main ways; which aspects people find most important depends on them and their society

AUTHENTICITY Going to work makes you feel you are accessing your “true self” – maybe that you are following a calling or can be yourself.

AGENCY You are able to make significant decisions and feel as if you “make a difference”. This taps into our desire to believe that we have free will.

SELF-WORTH Your job make you feel valuable; you are able to see milestones of achievement, no matter how small.

PURPOSE You see your work as moving you closer to a strongly held goal. The downside is that you are more likely to sacrifice pay and personal time too.

BELONGING It’s not what you do, it’s who you do it with. You belong to a special group of colleagues, even if your job seems mundane or poorly rewarded.

TRANSCENDENCE Your job is about sacrifice for a greater cause. Your meaning comes from following this, or perhaps a truly inspirational boss.  (Chris Turner/ Getty, New Scientist)

I would add the idea of CHALLENGE.   I took over a company that was on the cusp of bankruptcy . The bank gave me six months  to improve the situation or they would pull the rug.  To me it was a huge challenge: how to save 120 jobs and turn the company round, this with no prior experience whatsoever.

The other day I was talking to a young person , just about to go to university . She said she might do business studies, and I found myself giving her an impassioned plea not to do so  Business is three parts common sense, three parts relentless determination and the rest is people management.  I don’t believe it can be taught in a classroom by people who have never done it.  But when you overcome the challenge it is very rewarding.