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LEIPZIG, Germany — Most people think a good job is one that makes you happy. But new research suggests workplace fulfillment is more complex, involving three distinct elements: how satisfied you are, how meaningful you find the work, and how rich it is in varied experiences that change your perspective.

Leading researchers Hannes Zacher from Leipzig University and Roy F. Baumeister from Harvard University surveyed 678 German employees across diverse industries to better understand what makes work life genuinely fulfilling. Their findings, published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, revealed some surprising insights about workplace wellbeing.

The study introduces the novel concept of “work psychological richness” to organizational psychology. This dimension captures how intellectually stimulating, emotionally complex, and perspective-changing work experiences can be. Surprisingly, jobs high in psychological richness often came with higher levels of work-related stress and challenges – suggesting that some of the very factors that make work difficult might also make it more engaging and growth-promoting.

“Work psychological richness seemingly should be positively related to skill variety, integrated participation, and having a higher rank in the organizational hierarchy – but it should also be negatively related to working from home (which by definition should reduce the variety of the work experience),” the authors write.

Looking at different career paths, the researchers found interesting patterns. When examining job titles among study participants, those working as architects, HR professionals, and software developers tended to report higher job satisfaction. Firefighters, nurses, and teachers often found their work more meaningful. Meanwhile, jobs like prison guard, flight attendant, and special education worker tended to offer more psychologically rich experiences — opportunities that challenged perspectives and provided varied experiences.

Librarians, accountants, and janitors reported lower levels of psychological richness in their work.

Consider the prison guard who finds their work psychologically rich, even though the job itself may not always be satisfying. Or picture the teacher who derives deep meaning from educating future generations, despite facing daily challenges that might reduce immediate job satisfaction. These examples highlight how focusing solely on job satisfaction misses crucial elements of what makes work worthwhile.

Some surprising findings emerged when researchers looked at workplace stress. While things like heavy workload and frequent interruptions made people less satisfied with their jobs (no surprise there), these same challenges were linked to higher psychological richness. In other words, the very things that make work difficult might also make it more engaging and growth-promoting.

“Our findings indicate that working life may not always be satisfying and meaningful, but that does not necessarily mean that occupational wellbeing is low; it may be an interesting and emotionally complex working life,” the paper says.

The study identified six key ingredients that contribute to all aspects of workplace wellbeing:

• Understanding how your work fits into the bigger picture
• Having a say in decisions
• Opportunities to learn and grow
• Support from supervisors
• Good relationships with coworkers
• Feeling engaged with your work

These findings have practical implications for both employees and employers. Rather than just trying to maximize happiness and minimize stress, organizations might want to focus on creating workplaces that offer a mix of satisfaction, meaning, and rich experiences.

It’s also about building an environment where people can find satisfaction while also experiencing meaning and growth — even if that sometimes means embracing productive forms of challenge and complexity.

For example, a challenging project might temporarily reduce job satisfaction but provide valuable learning experiences and a sense of accomplishment. Similarly, dealing with difficult situations — while stressful — might lead to personal growth and deeper workplace relationships.

“Our study suggests that work psychological richness is a dimension of occupational wellbeing that may allow people to gain something positive from otherwise negative work-related experiences,” the paper concludes.

What can workers take away from this? When evaluating a job or career path, consider not just whether it will make you happy, but also whether it offers opportunities for meaningful contribution and rich experiences. Sometimes the most rewarding work isn’t the most comfortable.