Why Cannabis Employees Should Stop Trying to Be Happy
Focus on what is attainable in your role
Employee dissatisfaction is rampant across the cannabis industry.
Many people entered the sector expecting it to be a big, lucrative party. Because of industry birthing pains and unrealistic expectations, It hasn’t turned out that way. A big part of the workforce is unhappy, disengaged and searching for new jobs - in many cases outside of the industry.
This unhappiness is especially problematic for cannabis firms, who already face operational pressures and a dearth of talent. Without quality people, companies cannot survive and thrive.
The employee’s own goals may the issue. When happiness is your primary objective, you can end up feeling the opposite way. This is because happiness (like all emotions) is a fleeting state, not a permanent one.
To be more satisfied in their roles, employees need to refocus their thinking towards things they can control (perceptions and actions) and away from things they can’t control (e.g., the operating environment).
One way to do this is to make ‘meaning’ your vocational goal. Psychological research suggests that having meaning as your motivating force is the key to living a fulfilled life. In cannabis, ‘meaning’ could be furthering social equity, creating amazing brands or bringing the wonders of medical cannabis to more people. While the definition of meaning varies by individual, it can be found in every cannabis business and market context.
Leaders can help by defining, modelling, and communicating a strong organizational purpose, set of values and ambitious but achievable goals.
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