Small-business owners with limited payroll budgets rejoice: If a new survey is any indication, the vast majority of Americans say "fulfilling" work is more important to them than a big paycheck.

The Monster.com survey found that 82 percent of U.S workers, and 76 percent of workers worldwide, are willing to work for smaller paychecks as long as they're pursuing their ideal career path.

"We see a general consensus among workers around the globe that people are open to pursuing more fulfilling careers, not just a fuller wallet," says Norma Gaffin, director of career content at Monster. "It's interesting to note that despite some notions of a skittish economy, U.S. workers are still willing to be compensated less for a job that they are really passionate about."

So what qualities make a fulfilling job? According to an unrelated story from CareerPath.com, several factors come into play when a candidate is searching for the perfect profession. Position seekers are looking for variety, a work/life balance, a place to grow, vacation time and part-time flexibility.

What better place to find all this than a florist shop, says Phyllis Kennedy, owner of The Enchanted Florist in Alexandria, Va., voted one of the "Best 50 Places to Work" by Washingtonian magazine in 2004. 

Kennedy says working for a floral shop offers a creative environment, flexible schedules, a sense of camaraderie and most important, something new everyday. "Even though you have a lot of the same events each week, such as birthdays and weddings, each one is different," she says. "Each day you start off creating something new."

For ideas and tips about finding the employee who would consider your shop a "dream job," check out "Recruiting: A Year-Round Job" from the April issue of Floral Management.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 

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