What makes for a satisfying career? As professors, we’ve taught many young adults preparing to embark on their careers, and we’ve also studied professionals at all experience levels in a variety of fields, including journalists, educators, architects, consultants, and health care workers. Time and again, in our interactions with students and interviews with professionals, we’ve observed that people’s desire to pursue careers aligned with their moral values is often central to their decisions about which jobs to pursue and which ones to forgo.
3 Ways to Live Out Your Values at Work
A research-backed path to a more fulfilling career.
September 27, 2023
Summary.
The landscape of work is changing, yet people’s aspiration to build careers with moral value — that is, work that aligns with shared understandings of what’s right and good — remains constant. While doing so is difficult, it’s also worthwhile: Our careers take up an enormous amount of our time and energy, and it’s essential to feel that we’re creating careers aligned with our moral values. The authors’ research suggests that people can hold onto their moral values while building careers by staying attuned to moments of moral reckoning, questioning common purity rules, and being willing to change to whom they turn for validation.
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New!
HBR Learning
Career Management Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Career Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What's your next career move? Learn how to set yourself up for success.