Florida Atlantic: Survey Finds Workers are Redefining Success

A new survey by Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business recently identified a growing trend among career professionals that challenged previously held assumptions about how people define success in their careers. According to the survey, “The Many Meanings of Career Success,” most workers are no longer measuring career success by promotions. Instead, they are defining success by financial stability and work-life balance.

“We wanted to hear directly from people about how they define success in their careers,” said Michael Harari, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Management in the College of Business. “We found that people really want work-life balance, more so than the typical manager might assume.”

The survey, conducted alongside dual-enrolled FAU High School student Luisa Lucigniani, revisits fundamental questions about how workers define success in their careers and whether promotions and pay increases are the primary indicators of success through 54 questions.

Financial progress or wealth was the fifth out of eight most important aspects of career success, according to those surveyed. Intrinsic interest, growth and innovation, and social contribution ranked higher on the list.

“It seems there is an opportunity to replace ‘career ladders’ with ‘career bridges,’” Harari said. “The career development opportunities that employers offer need to speak to what people want. That might entail flexible work arrangements or longer employment contracts for stability. Employers can no longer assume that everyone is motivated by the promise of a promotion.”