What I need from work

Besides pay and a work bestie

I’ve been thinking a lot about my needs. How trite! 

But my work-related needs have changed a lot over the years. 

For the longest time, like many people, the thing I needed most from work was money. 

I wanted to do something I enjoy, of course! No doubt you do as well. If I didn’t need a job to pay my way, I’d probably be writing stories, painting koi fish, playing guitar, and eating tasty food with my loved ones. I would also be doing yoga on the daily. 

Now, I feel like I’m getting the hang of the money bit. Consider that need met for the moment. 

That means there’s room for other questions. Beyond money, what do I actually need from work? What fills my cup? What leaves me with a delicious little feeling of fulfilment at the end of the day? 

In a session with my coach, we explored exactly this. I came away from our meeting with a list of things that are important to me in work – and an understanding of how to assess future opportunities in line with my values.

It was a powerful exercise. Now more than ever, job security is a fragile and finicky thing. In a crumbling UK economy, people have been made to feel disposable and replaceable. 

Increasing automation and the use of generative AI have spurred a flurry of content about the end of jobs and work as we know it. Search ‘generative AI’ and you’ll be ambushed by doomsday journalism and dystopian speculation. It’s hard to find deep cuts in a sea of noise. 

Considering my needs from work in the context of this apocalyptic environment felt like a form of resistance. The idea that work and money may not always go hand in hand is also gaining traction.

Universal Basic Income could provide a partial solution to fewer human jobs – but if this becomes a reality, it would force us to rethink what we need from work. If working for money isn’t essential, what would we choose to work for instead? 

When I realised what was important to me in the context of work, it made me feel more secure in my capacity to work. Because it highlighted that my current role isn’t the only outlet for getting my working needs met. There are so many things I could do to fill my cup. 

So in the interests of transparency, I’m sharing five things I need from work: 

Deep connections

If there’s a single thread connecting my freelance work from the last five years, it’s the pursuit of deep connections. My best work comes out of my strongest relationships – and I gain so much from delivering projects for people I like. The clients I choose are people I admire, and who inspire me with their work or approach to life and creativity. The best thing I can get out of my job is a deep connection with someone. 

Freedom to be creative

Some people quell your creativity. They smush it and flatten it and implore you to venture back onto the path and embrace the status quo. But I can’t work under that weight. I need the freedom to be creative – whatever that might look like. Sometimes it’s thinking up original analogies to describe something super technical, other times it’s styling the manikins in the charity shop where I volunteer. 

Learning opportunities 

My life feels meaningful when I’m learning new things. Learning has this dazzling snowballing effect on me – where the beginning of a learning journey makes me buzz with excitement about how little I know, and how much there is to discover. Instead of being daunted by my lack of knowledge, I’m motivated by that. Guess I never really did let go of schoolgirl Ebs. 

Being challenged 

I have a love-hate relationship with social media. This year, I decided to get serious about marketing my business on LinkedIn. It was hard to be consistent – and at times I found myself sucked into the black hole of social comparison. But in the last few months, LinkedIn has generated some incredible opportunities. It reminded me that being challenged is a gift – it’s a chance to test what we know, increase our resilience, and explore hidden talents. 

Face-to-face interaction 

It took me a while to realise that plug-and-play remote work practices don’t work for me. I’m an extrovert and a writer – two identities that are often at odds with each other. Getting good words down requires extended periods of solitude. But feeling like myself requires frequent social connection. So I need to visit my clients in their offices, attend social events, do in-person networking, and have a handful of check-in meetings. It helps me stay connected to the impact of my work. 

If you feel comfortable sharing, I’d love to know what your work-related needs are too. Reply to this email or drop them in the comments section. 

~ Ebony-Storm x

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The resource section

🤖 Given the abstract above, it may be ironic that I’m sharing content on AI this week. But this piece on generative AI and talent strategy comes from the Head of Design at MIT Collective Intelligence Lab. I heard his talk on ‘Superminds’ (a combination of human and artificial intelligence) at TNW conference earlier this year, and it was riveting. 

📊 Oops, another one. Can generative AI do strategy – an activity typically reserved for the most original and incisive humans? You’ll have to read this Harvard Business Review piece to find out. 

🎧 I’m making the most of Spotify’s new audiobook feature, and the first title I picked was ‘Think Again’ by famed psychologist Adam Grant. It’s incredible; a true workout for your brain, and a lesson that changing your answer isn’t a sign of weakness – it’s a strength.