Do you go to work simply because that’s the expectation both from yourself and from your employer? Are you perplexed at the thought that there are those who enjoy going to work each day? While it’s true that only a small percentage of people truly love their jobs, and would happily do it even without any pay, about 30 percent of us manage to garner some satisfaction from our daily work.
It’s Easier to Hate than Love
While it has been said that 70 percent of all people “hate” their jobs, this can be somewhat misleading. More believable, is the statistic that approximately 20 percent of the workforce is actively disengaged from their job, and the remaining 50 percent are just muddling through, feeling unappreciated, unrewarded, and undervalued.
In a sense, “hating your job” alleviates a certain amount of pressure; it deceptively “relieves” you of the responsibility of having to perform at peak levels; you no longer feel as if you have to put forth a stellar effort because no one will care or notice. Unfortunately, disengaged employees often feel as though they can “drop off the radar” and let someone with a higher profile handle the criticism for underperformance.
Why would you do that?
In the “olden days” we arose, worked our fields, possibly stopped at midday for a crust of bread and some water, and continued until dusk. We returned to our rude huts, ate our one meal of the day, and went to bed. The next day consisted of the same drill, and so on. We survived/existed, and that was all.
Then, the Industrial Revolution came along. Jobs became more productive; goods became more available and diverse; and, finally, we developed “leisure time”. Some people became specialists; they became artisans such as blacksmiths, leather workers, and candle makers, and their value to society increased.
Workers began to see what it was like to experience success within their chosen line of work; they had increased expectations and took on apprentices, and their learners had increased expectations, too. Expansion and success created the business/shopkeeper class, but largely, most people persisted in “survival mode” for many centuries.
Cometh the Dawn
People have always had ambition toward their jobs, hoping to improve their lot and sometimes expending extraordinary effort to accomplish just that. Yet, up until the last two decades, it was never the responsibility of the employer to generate job satisfaction for the employees.
In fact, the truth is, it technically still isn’t. In order to hang onto significant talent some companies are making an effort (for some employees) to make their job rewarding. In so doing, they manage to retain them with the company for as long as possible. That’s simply good business. People who have made an investment in themselves, to cultivate talents which make them valuable, should be valued and protected.
Even throughout the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, the majority of workers weren’t viewed distinctly enough to warrant special attention. There were plenty of others that could replace them.
Nowadays, specialized skills, such as those found in IT, are vital to most every company. The more common skills, such as sales staff, labor, general accountancy, customer service, and so on are more easily replaced and so, often, no special effort is made to create job satisfaction. This fact alone, may likely explain why 70 percent of us aren’t thrilled with our jobs.
Signs for Change
You’ve been at the job for 6, 12, or 18 months, and the honeymoon phase as come to an end. Many of the things you were promised have never materialized; some aspects may have been under-delivered; the company may have “changed direction” and the situation may even have deteriorated to some extent. For example:
- You’re bored and underutilized. Your skills are growing rusty from lack of use.
- You dread going to work each morning because you know that your daily efforts will result in continued futility.
- Your overtime has become a daily affair, spiraling out of control and significantly affecting your non-work life; expectations for a single worker are too high/unrealistic.
- The office culture is in direct opposition to you. It seems plodding and slow, when your tendency is to be on the go all the time (or vice-versa).
- You exchange pleasantries with fellow workers, but there is not a single one that you would call a “friend” (or even an esteemed acquaintance).
- You can’t identify the path to move ahead; you can’t find a way to earn a promotion and get away from an unfulfilling daily grind.
- The company is on shaky financial ground, and maybe it’s time for you to move on before you get drawn down with them.
- You’re experiencing apathy, or skyrocketing anxiety; you’re gaining or losing weight, and/or suffering from stress-related exhaustion.
- Your direct manager appears outwardly stressed, unhappy, and/or in a continuous state of panic. His/her own disorganization increases as the chances that you (or your coworkers) will receive the blame for mistakes when superiors begin to seek answers.
Leave or Stay?
Even if you have only been at your job for a month or two, if you realize that the company is a bad fit, getting back into the job market might leave you with some explaining to do about this short-lived position. However, it can be done, and, likewise, it should not be the sole reason for staying.
On the other hand, being honest with your current employer and saying “This isn’t working out the way I expected” could actually generate some positive changes. If they like your work, they could very well adjust aspects of your job that would make it completely acceptable to you. You might actually find yourself with a lifelong career, simply because you spoke up.
Regardless of your choice, you will still need to step up your networking; since ending a months-long search when you obtained this job could lead to complacency about your contact list. If asked point-blank about changing jobs so soon, rather focus on the fact that, while the job wasn’t an ideal fit, you gained valuable skills and experience which will prove beneficial in future positions.
Making the Move
Do you need to enroll in four more years of college? Almost certainly not; most times you merely need to move to a different environment, a different company with similar duties, where you enjoy a better fit.
Even if you are targeting a complete career change, there are plenty of transferable skills. However, don’t just quit right away. Plan your job search so that you will not go without a salary which could force you into another less-than-ideal employment situation.
The Takeaway
Before you go, make sure you leave something behind, a legacy if you will, that leaves the company just little bit better off than you found it. It might be a new way of managing the office sports pool, or a complete redesign of the inventory system for the whole company. Leave something good behind. That’s the sort of thing that will follow you, and cast you in a positive light long after you’ve moved on.
Stewart, Cooper & Coon, has helped thousands of decision makers and senior executives move up in their careers and achieve significantly improved financial packages within short time frames. Contact Fred Coon – 866-883-4200, Ext. 200