“Should I stay or should I go?” – 10 things to consider if you’re unhappy at work
Quitting your job is a difficult decision and may leave you wondering if it’s the right decision, as the process is complex and challenging. There are a lot of things to consider if you’re unhappy at work.
Simply asking yourself whether you’re happy at your current job is probably too simplistic to help you take a decision. And being a happy employee does not necessarily mean that you are going to perform well and find purpose at your job – a misconception that is well explained in Gallup‘s article “To get your people’s best performance, start with purpose“.
Most people feel unhappy at work at some point, and it’s perfectly normal to have emotional ups and downs when it comes to your job satisfaction. It’s easier to compare salary and benefits, or work-life balance, but when it comes to being unhappy at work, sometimes it’s hard to identify what to evaluate.
So I’m sharing here the 5 initial things that you as an employee should ask yourself:
- Am I allowed to do what I do best, every day?
- Does my boss appreciate and care about me and my work?
- Am I able to express my opinions, and do they count?
- Do I receive the right information and understand what is expected of me?
- Do I have all the tools necessary to be productive?
Please note that these are also good things to be considered by companies/employers. As per Addison Group survey findings, Employers used to aim simply for job satisfaction to retain employees, but now even employees who report they are satisfied in their current positions are open to finding new job opportunities and more aspects need to be considered for retaining talents, as employee turnover causes lowered productivity, overworked remaining staff, lost knowledge, additional interviewing and training costs.
After getting clarification about how you feel about your work with the 5 things mentioned above, if you are still unsure about staying or quitting your job, I invite you to think about additional 5 things to make sure that you’re not acting too impulsively:
- Think about what changed and made you unhappy. Is it something outside of your control, or is it something more fundamental about yourself?
- Is the source of your unhappiness just temporary or is it permanent?
- Do you have a backup plan in case you don’t get your dream job?
- What are the aspects of your current job you don’t like that you won’t stand for elsewhere?
- Is this a step toward your ultimate career goals?
Whether or not you decide to quit your job, remember that no decision is permanent and if you plan correctly, you can always adjust your plans and make the most of the opportunities.
I hope this article has helped you and that you’ll be making the choice that works best for your life! Let me know what you think!
