They say home is where the heart is. In finding the right organization to work in, does this also hold true? After all, we practically spend a third of our day at work; as such, some people refer to it as the “second home,” and the people in it, their second family.
I listened to a friend’s anecdote of how he wants to “go back home” to the organization that once nurtured his career. He already spent almost a decade in another institution; but perhaps the longing for “home” has grown stronger that he decided to pack his bags and explore new opportunities in his old home, as someone with richer experience to share and a wiser disposition to uphold. If everything works out for him, it will be a sweet homecoming.
I myself have been to several “homes” in my entire work life. In the retail industry, I joined four different organizations; the last one was a “dream” job because I looked up to the company since I was in college. I managed the marketing and public relations strategies of this dream company, and it was a fairly satisfying (and glamorous) job because it is a popular international brand with premium brand equity. Yet after a while, the excitement wore off, and I realized its organizational values no longer aligns with mine. In the end, I no longer felt at home. I was looking for something more, so I left.
On the other hand, there are friends of mine who have spent all their work life in just one organization—they no longer ventured out to see what is out there, because they were “home” the first time they set foot in their workplace. They were offered personal development, a steady career path, and a wealth of opportunities—enough to make them stay.
We have different reasons for leaving “home”—it may be because the environment no longer feels nurturing, the growth possibilities are next to none, or we just generally do not feel at home. There are various reasons for staying, too. Perhaps the people we work with are a gem, the pay is good enough, or the career path it offers exactly aligns with where we want to be. It is also possible that we got too comfortable, enough for us to forego looking into the proverbial greener pasture because we are in our comfort zone. I was in this predicament for some time, until I realized I have untapped potentials that can better grow in a different home.
But what is “home,” anyway? For most of us, it is a spot of comfort, a source of joy; a place where we can be ourselves, grow our dreams, and retreat in peace when the world becomes too hostile. Can our workplace offer the same perks?
In the research paper titled “Work volition and job satisfaction: Examining the role of work meaning and person–environment fit,” authors Ryan Duffy, Kelsey Autin, and Elizabeth Bottseem to agree: they noted that while most people work for survival, some individuals (and most people I know) value intrinsic rewards—healthy relationships in the workplace, a sense of autonomy, and a meaningful/satisfactory work experience. The person-environment complementarity in the workplace also constitutes a harmonious relationship between a person and the environment, and the suitability of the organization in the person’s self-concept,according to Charles O’Reilly III, Jennifer Chatman, and David Caldwell in their paper “People and organizational culture: A profile comparison approach to assessing person-organization fit.”
The person-environment fit model looks into how a person’s individual characteristics match that of the environmental characteristics in the organization. The four domains include person-organization fit, or the compatibility of how the needs of each entity (that of the organization and the person) are provided for; person-job fit, or how the characteristics of the person match the demands and requirements of the job; the person-group fit, or how a person blends well with his or her colleagues; and the person-person fit, which relates to supervisor-oriented relationships. This is according to Jeffrey Edwards’ research, “4 person–environment fit in organizations: An assessment of theoretical progress,” and Corine Boon, Deanne Hartog, Paul Boselie, and Jaap Paauwe’s study, “The relationship between perceptions of HR practices and employee outcomes: examining the role of person–organization and person–job fit.” As social individuals, we long to find the right fit, or the perfect match, so we can feel at home. Some organizations may give the homey feel at first, but as we evolve and grow as a person, they may not necessarily grow with us. So we venture out again.
For most of us, we strive to find an organization that would give us the comforts and joys of home, where we can build our career goals and pursue our dreams. We want it to fit our values, our personality, our life goals. For some, they may have found their “forever home” already, where they plan to stay until retirement. For others, it is still a constant search for the “perfect home.”
But while we are looking, remember that there is no perfect organization—our journey should be about finding the organization that perfectly fits us. After all, we spend so much time in the workplace, that we deserve to feel at home while we work—because there’s no place like home.
Jonna Baquillas is a Doctor of Business Administration candidate at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. She has been to several “homes” and considers them as vital elements in shaping who she is today. She now found home in the academe, teaching marketing, business, and retail courses. She can be reached at [email protected].
