By Steve Beseke, beseke1@earthlink.net

A recent employment survey suggested that nearly 50 percent of those who still have jobs in this economy are dissatisfied with their work. More than 50 percent said they also don’t find their jobs interesting. Additionally, nearly 45 percent of workers do not feel secure about their jobs.

In these tragic times – with more than 8 million good folks laid off – the cynical conclusion to these findings is that workers don’t realize how blessed they are to receiving a steady paycheck. Fortunately, I am not a cynic and realize there are many underlying resilient reasons workers are dissatisfied apart from the challenging world we live in today.

Many of us have had to be extremely resilient as our jobs have evaporated over the last year because of heartbreaking circumstances. Workers, however, are going through similar stress because much more is being expected of them through company layoffs, while others are having their hours cut severely as cost-savings measures at companies.

The bottom line: All of us are in this resilient journey together. This is where our confidence can be the absolute key in continuing the belief in each of us.

Maintaining a baseline of confidence in good and not so good times is THE most important resiliency/adaptability factor that allows me – and you – to continue our work and life everyday.

Yes, incomes have not kept up with inflation. Yes, the soaring cost of health insurance has eaten into our take home pay. Yes, we are still losing far too many jobs to feel totally confident about comparable work again or keeping our jobs in the long-term.

If I read this survey 12 months again when I was initially laid off, I would have said to respondents, “Get over it…you are at least employed.” But now that I’ve carved out a new career as a very humble and successful resilient speaker/consultant, there are so many issues all of us have to think about – employed or not.

What is really disturbing about the growing job dissatisfaction is the way it can play into the competitive nature of our workforce down the road. The survey also found less workers like each other than just a year before and the trend does not seem to be slowing down. This does not bode well for work teamwork in the future.

I truly believe that this “new economy” will force us to think even more about looking out for #1 – ourselves. There’s definitely a true need to look out for #1, but many work environments depend on sharing ideas and adapting for the common good. Will this irrevocably harm our work relationships – and, ultimately our work success?

Too often in the future, our inner and outward resiliency will be critically tested as we navigate through such potentially turbulent work currents.

As I reached a half-century in the last couple weeks, life has always had its moments where I’ve wanted to shut the world out because I’ve momentarily lacked the confidence to move forward.

In addition to everyday work challenges, this also has been because I had just tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and fallen. (My balance is sometimes affected by my lifelong physical disability – Cerebral Palsy.) Or, I just had a conversation with my 14-year-old daughter that I knew could have gone better.

All of us have such issues – great and small – we face everyday. They can truly affect the confidence in ourselves.  Such survey findings may affect how we view our “new” workplace – even after the economy gets revved up again. Always focusing on #1 can have its disadvantages in adapting to such new paradigms.

I, however, suggest we don’t let such surveys sour us on the possibilities of our job we have right now, or the ones waiting for us just around the next corner. While we have to face the sometimes-sobering realities of the workplace, the resilience we have and the confidence in ourselves will successfully move us past these momentary challenges.

Please just continue to understand your strengths and confidence in yourself at work – despite the possible trends highlighted by any surveys. While all of us have gone through dissatisfied moments in our life, never stay dissatisfied with your most important asset – you!

Stay strong and resilient, my friends. Until next week…take care!