Does More Freedom at Work Mean More Fulfillment? | Sarah Aviram | TED

翻译人员: Xiaoqing Yang 校对人员: suya f.

In 2019,

2019年的一天，

I was working from my laptop, from a beautiful beach in Bali.

在巴厘岛迷人的沙滩上， 我正在用笔记本电脑工作。

Drinking water right out of a fresh coconut

一边喝着新鲜的椰汁，

and enjoying the warm ocean breeze,

一边享受着温暖的海风，

and I'm thinking, meh.

但我却觉得......呃。

Something was still missing, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.

我还是觉得某些东西缺失了， 而又说不清楚是什么。

How could I be in this scenario and not feel fulfilled?

我怎么会在这样的环境中， 还感到不满足呢？

I worked from 12 countries in 12 months that year.

那一年的十二个月里， 我辗转在十二个不同的国家工作。

An opportunity that was once rare is now more possible

这在以前几乎是不可能的， 现在这样的机会却越来越多，

for more people than ever before.

而且可以给到越来越多的人。

Spotify recently introduced their new "work from anywhere" policy

Spotify最近提出 “自由办公”的新政策，

in which they're giving employees a choice of working

允许员工自主选择 任何工作地点，

wherever they do their most focused and creative thinking.

只要他们能集中精力 搞创作性思维。

Dropbox's new way of working is called "Virtual first,"

Dropbox公司的新型工作方式 叫做“虚拟第一”，

in which remote work will be the primary experience for employees,

员工们体验最多的就是远程工作，

saving in-person meetings for special occasions.

只有在极特殊的情况， 才会面对面开会。

And that's great news

这是好事，

because over 50 percent of people that work remotely say

因为超过半数选择远程工作的人说，

that if their current company doesn't give them

如果他们的公司不同意给他们一些

some type of remote work option long-term,

可以长期远程来做的工作，

they'll look for a job at a company that does.

那他们就换一家同意的公司。

Well, problem solved, right?

问题解决了，对吧？

Except what people are saying and what they're doing is inconsistent.

只是人们说的和做的 往往不是一回事。

In fact, according to a recent McKinsey study,

根据麦肯锡最近的一项研究，

workplace flexibility wasn't even one of the top five reasons

在人们过去一年辞职的所有原因中，

people quit their jobs in the past year.

工作地点灵活性连前五位都排不上。

More freedom at work doesn't mean more fulfillment.

更多的工作自由度不等同于 更多的满足感。

Let me take you back to the end of 2018.

时间回到2018年年末，

I'm two years into doing my job as the director of talent development

当时我在一家纽约的 科技公司工作两年了，

for a New York-based tech company.

我是公司人才培养部门的主管。

And I'm doing what I love to do the most,

我的工作是我最喜欢做的，

creating and launching employee development programs from scratch.

制定并实施员工培养计划，从零开始。

And then my boss says to me,

不过后来，我的老板跟我说，

"Next year is going to be the year of maintenance,

“明年我们不准备有什么大动作，

focusing on refining existing programs instead of launching new ones."

我们不打算开展新的项目， 只维护好现有的就好了。“

I'm not a maintenance-mode person.

我可不是一个“维护型”人才。

While I understand its importance, it's really not where I shine,

我理解项目维护的重要性， 但那不是我的专长。

so I wasn't looking forward to the year ahead.

所以我对下一年没有什么期待。

Meanwhile, I was reading new research on the future of work,

那时我刚好正在阅读一项 有关未来工作模式的新研究，

and all signs were pointing to a remote and hybrid-work future.

远程和混合式工作模式 将会是必然的未来。

We now know that the pandemic accelerated that by at least a decade.

我们现在知道疫情把这一趋势 提前了至少10年。

I even found a work-and-travel program

我还找到了一个工作加旅行的项目，

that coordinates a group of professionals to work remotely from around the world

可以为专业人士协调住宿 和安排共享工作空间，

with coworking spaces and living accommodations in each city.

方便他们在全球各个城市 远程工作。

I was immediately hooked.

我一下子就被吸引住了。

I had always wanted to travel for a longer period of time,

我过去常常希望 花更长时间去旅行，

but I thought I'd have to quit my job in order to do that.

但我不愿为了这个而辞掉工作。

Then I thought, well, I could do maintenance mode from anywhere.

于是我想，如果只是维护， 那我在哪儿工作都可以啊。

And given my current company's global expansion plans,

鉴于公司的全球性扩张计划，

I knew I had to think about where current and future employees could be located.

我想我必须知道现在和未来的员工 可以在哪些地方工作。

If I could convince my company that I should work remotely

假如我能说服公司 我应该远程工作，

to better understand the opportunities

去更好地理解远程员工

and challenges that remote workers face,

所面临的机遇与挑战，

it could be a win-win for both of us.

这对我和公司是双赢的。

And a month later, I ended my apartment lease,

一个月以后，我租出了公寓，

sold my furniture

卖了家具，

and hopped on a one-way flight from cold and snowy New York City

搭上单程航班， 离开了寒冷多雪的纽约，

to Lima, Peru,

奔向秘鲁首都利马，

to start my year-long trip with my cohort.

和一群同事开始了长达一年的旅程。

And let me tell you,

我想说，

those first few months were incredible.

开始的那几个月非常棒。

I attended a virtual team meeting for my coworking space at Lima

在利马我先参加一个线上团队会议， 讨论共享办公空间的问题，

before heading out to go surfing at sunset on a regular Tuesday.

然后就迎着日落去冲浪， 每个星期二我都去。

I launched a work program from inside of a pool

我甚至在墨西哥Puerto Escondido港 的一个游泳池里

in Puerto Escondido, Mexico.

启动了一个新的工作项目。

And I negotiated a contract from a cafe in Hanoi, Vietnam,

我可以在越南河内的 咖啡馆里谈合同，

before jumping on the back of a motorbike to go eat bun cha with friends.

之后就跳上摩托车后座， 和一群朋友去吃烤肉米粉。

I met remote workers and digital nomads from around the world.

我结识了来自全球的数字游民 和远程工作一族。

Each of us had a different story of how we got there.

每个人都有一段自己的故事 做出这样的选择。

Some had just been divorced or gotten out of long-term relationships

一些人刚刚离婚或者 刚刚结束了一段多年的感情，

and convinced their employers to let them work remotely

他们说服了公司允许他们远程工作，

so that they could get away.

远离那些烦心事。

There were three corporate lawyers who all hated their jobs

有三个公司律师都讨厌自己的工作，

and thought that doing them from a beach would make it more tolerable.

他们认为在海滩上工作可以 缓解这样的情绪。

And some just wanted to be as far away from micromanagement and office politics

也有一些人只是想远离 办公室政治和琐碎的过分管理，

as possible.

越远越好。

But still, after a few months,

但即便如此，几个月以后，

when that honeymoon period was over and the novelty faded,

当蜜月期结束了，新鲜感褪去了，

we realized that traveling was just a Band-Aid solution for the real problems.

我们意识到旅行不过是 暂时解决问题的权宜之计。

I wondered, how could we get this "work from anywhere" life right?

我曾想知道，我们怎样才能过好这种 所谓“在任何地方工作都行”的生活？

So I interviewed dozens of remote workers,

为此我采访了几十位远程工作的人。

I conducted a focus group, and I surveyed hundreds of people.

我组建了专题小组， 并对几百人做了调查。

And you know what I saw in all that data?

你们知道我从所有的数据中 得出什么结论吗？

Wherever you go, there you are.

地点无法改变现状。

If you hate your job in Houston, you will hate it in Hanoi.

如果你讨厌在休斯顿的工作， 到了河内你还是讨厌它。

What really needs fixing is your motivation to do the work itself.

真正需要解决的是 你的工作动力问题。

We believe we need a certain amount of money

我们总认为得有一定的钱

to create or maintain the lifestyle that we've envisioned.

才能得到或保持 我们期望的生活状态。

We think we need a specific job title that aligns with the identity

我们认为我们需要一个 符合身份的工作头衔，

that we or our parents imagined for us a decade ago.

一个我们自己或父母早在十年前 就为我们设计好的头衔。

And we don't realize that we get stuck

然而，我们没有意识到

in the motions of work routines without intention.

在重复的工作中，不知不觉地 我们停滞不前了。

Minimizing these pressures around your money,

把金钱、身份和周而复始 的工作所带来的压力

identity and routines

降到最低，

and focusing on opportunities for more growth, impact and joy

集中精力找寻获得成长、影响力 和快乐的可能性，

is the key to a more fulfilling career no matter where you're located.

不管你身处何方，这才是 找到更愉悦和充实的工作的关键。

And the good news is that you might not have to overhaul your career

而且你或许不需要 彻底改变你的职业

or life to feel fulfilled.

或者生活才能获得这种满足感。

Esther Perel, world-renowned psychotherapist and couples counselor,

世界知名心理治疗师和 夫妻情感专家Esther Perel曾说，

says that in the West today,

在当今西方社会，

most of us are going to have two or three marriages or committed relationships,

大多数人会经历两到三次婚姻 或者认真的恋爱，

and some of us are going to do it with the same person.

而我们中的一些人会与 同一个人经历这一切。

Think about that for a second.

大家想一想她的话。

She's saying that some of us will build and experience a new relationship

她的意思是说我们中有些人 会与同一个人多次开始和体验

with the same person.

一份崭新的恋爱关系。

Perhaps something similar could be said about your relationship to your work

或许在同一家公司工作也是如此，

at the same company.

它同样适用于工作关系。

Perhaps after a challenging time, an enticing external offer

也许在一段艰难时期过后， 在受到外部诱惑，

or having been together for a while,

或者在一起很长一段时间后，

instead of breaking up,

比起分手，

you could find and create a better path forward together.

你们或许能找到并共同开启 一段更美好的未来。

And I'm not saying you're going to get everything you want

我不是说你现在的工作

out of your current job,

对你来说就是完美的，

but given how much time you spend working,

但是想想你为此 付出了多少时间，

isn't it worth a shot to make it as fulfilling as possible?

你就不想试试看？尽可能 从这份工作中找到满足感？

When the pandemic hit and much of the world went remote,

当疫情来袭，大半世界都 进入了远程工作模式，

I saw my corporate friends in the States

我看到在美国的朋友们

follow the exact same trajectory that we did abroad.

开始用同样的方式工作， 就像我们在海外一样。

The thrill of working home in your pajamas,

穿着睡衣在家工作的快乐，

having more flexibility with your schedule,

更灵活地安排工作时间，

being able to do the laundry in between meetings,

在会议间隙洗衣服，

all of which can make a real difference in improving your daily life.

所有这一切都提高了我们 日常生活的质量。

But still, once the novelty faded and the reality set in,

但是，一旦新鲜感褪去， 现实再次回归，

people had to face whatever underlying issues they'd had

人们不得不面对疫情前

before the pandemic started.

就已经暗藏的问题。

When the perks of an office job were taken away,

当人们不再拥有在办公室工作的 各种福利时，

whether it was the free snacks in the break room,

不管是休息室免费的零食，

the water-cooler conversation with colleagues,

还是茶水间和同事的闲谈，

what people were left with was the work itself

留给人们的就只剩下工作本身，

and their motivation, or lack thereof, to do it.

以及有工作的动力，或者 没有工作的动力。

And they began to ask themselves really important questions:

于是人们开始问自己 真正重要的问题：

Do I even like my job?

我真的喜欢我的工作吗？

Is this really worth my time?

这份工作值得吗？

Is this what I want to be doing?

这是我想要做的吗？

And these are great questions to ask.

这些都是非常好的问题。

The problem is, for way too many people,

但问题是，有太多的人，

they thought they had to completely overhaul their career or life.

认为只有彻底改变职业 或生活才是出路。

More people voluntarily quit their jobs in 2021

2021年主动辞职的人

than any other year in recorded history.

比史上任何一年都多。

They wanted a fresh start and a new beginning after a challenging time.

他们希望在艰难时期过后， 有一个全新的开始。

Here's the kicker, though.

让人惊讶的是，

Almost 50 percent of the people that did find jobs after quitting

一半在辞职后又找到新工作的人说

say that their new job has not lived up to their expectations.

新工作与他们的期待不符。

They found out, just like we did in Peru, Mexico and Vietnam,

和我们在秘鲁、墨西哥 和越南一样，他们发现

that wherever you go, there you are.

无论走到哪儿，事情并没有改变。

Perhaps you could start the next chapter of your career

也许你可以在一个了解你的公司

in an organization that knows you,

重新翻开一段新的职业篇章，

where you've built credibility and trust and a network,

在那里你已经建立起了 信任、信赖和关系网，

and where they'd be willing to let you try things you haven't done before.

他们会乐于让你尝试不曾做过的事。

Now, I'm not saying you should stay in a toxic work environment.

我不是说你应该留在一个 不健康的工作环境中

And sometimes you do need a larger-scale change,

有时你的确需要一个 更大的改变，

like a new job or a new career.

比如一份新工作、一个新职业。

But before you make a decision that you think will make you happier,

但是在你做出你觉得会 让自己更快乐的决定之前，

I want you to consider that happiness is a feeling that doesn't last.

我希望你明白快乐的感觉 并不能永远持续，

It often is what we want in the moment and depends on external circumstances.

它往往只是我们在某一刻需要 的感觉，而且它依赖于外部情况。

What does last, however, is fulfillment.

真正能够持续的，是内心的满足感。

Fulfillment is richer, deeper and longer-term

满足的感觉更加丰富， 更加深刻，也更加持久，

and often takes a longer amount of time and intention to get it.

并且需要花更长时间和精力 才能得到。

As you look to generate fulfillment,

如果你想获得满足感，

I want you to consider three questions tied to three of its key components

你需要思考三个与它的 核心构成密切相关的问题，

that are more internally driven.

它们都是内因主导的。

The first is joy.

首先是愉悦。

What kind of work energizes you that you'd love to do more of?

什么样的工作能 促使你越做越喜欢做？

Now, I want you to remember that just because you're good at something,

请记住，你做一件事情做得好，

it doesn't mean that you enjoy doing it.

不代表你喜欢做这件事。

So really consider what gives you a deep feeling of contentment.

所以请好好思考究竟什么 可以带给你深层的满足感。

Next is impact.

第二个是影响。

How could you provide more value to your company or clients

通过做这样的工作

by doing this kind of work?

你如何为公司和客户 带来更多的价值。

And if you're having trouble answering that question, then ask your manager,

如果你无法回答这个问题， 就去直接问你的经理、

your peers or clients directly.

你的同事或者客户。

Focus on work that's in that sweet spot

把精力放在既符合个人兴趣，

of meeting both your interests and the client's needs

又能满足客户和公司需求的工作上，

or the business needs.

取得平衡。

And finally, growth.

最后，是成长。

Which knowledge or skills could you develop through these experiences?

你在这些经历中可以获得 哪些知识或技能？

Feeling a sense of progress toward meaningful work

从一份有意义的工作中得到提升

is one of the biggest drivers of fulfillment.

是获得满足感最大的动力之一。

I asked myself these same three questions when I was feeling happy

当我在海滩边快乐地工作， 但又不满足于这样的生活时，

yet not fulfilled with my life working from a beach.

我曾问自己这三个同样的问题。

And I found out that I find joy in interviewing,

我发现我在面试，做调研，

researching and talking to remote workers about their lives.

还有跟远程工作的同事 聊他们的生活时，我很快乐。

I made a significant impact by facilitating workshops

协助工作坊的工作，帮助员工 做技能和职业培养

to help them develop their skills and their careers.

在这些方面我发挥了巨大作用。

And growth came in the form of me figuring out

我的成长就体现在找到一个方法

how to distill a career's worth of the best HR advice and expertise

把最好的HR职业建议和专长 提炼到一本简单易懂的书中，

into an easily digestible book for remote workers.

让远程工作员工阅读。

Thousands of organizations around the world

全世界众多的企业机构

are finally understanding the importance

终于慢慢明白给予员工自由

of giving employees a choice of where to work.

选择工作地点有多么重要。

And while being given that choice is certainly meaningful,

拥有这种选择权意义重大，

what’s even more empowering

但对员工更重要的是

is the fulfillment that comes from doing work

能够从事带给他们满足感的工作，

that truly lights you up, wherever you are.

一份无论在哪里都可以 让他们发光的工作。

Thank you.

谢谢！