10 Good Reasons for Leaving a Job
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Do you lay awake at night asking yourself whether it is a time to throw in the towel at work? Are you dreading getting up in the morning to go to work and are you daydreaming at your workplace that you are working somewhere else? If yes, then before self-diagnosing a depression, check if maybe it’s time to change your job.
If you work full-time, you spend a lot of your awake time at work – so it is crucial that you spend it working for the right business surrounded by good colleagues pursuing a career that makes you happy. According to 2012 statistics from the US Department of Labor, the average worker stays in a job for just less than five years.
Staying at a job that makes you miserable is damaging to both your well-being and your career. In order to protect both, continue reading to see if you have one or more of the top 10 good reasons to leave your job.
YOU CAN STAY AT A JOB YOU DON’T LIKE, BUT…
Employees are not just a set of skills and tools – they are humans; and humans have issues when they do something that is not appropriate for them (especially for a long time). The most common issue is a burnout generally caused by a lack of sleep, bad diet and working overtime hours.
Companies slowly but surely learn the business cost of their employees’ burnouts as they become less efficient and less productive. The society also suffers from the effects of workplace burnout that contributes to increasing of divorcees, family violence rates, and even suicide rates.
One of the key factors for employee burnout is the lack of sleep that also affects the employee morale and the organization culture as it has been proven that the sleep-deprived team members are less likely to experience positive emotions.
If you are dealing with symptoms such as sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder, especially while at work or just before going to work, consider contacting the EAP (Employee Assistance Program) at your workplace or start thinking about another workplace/income alternative.
Research shows that people take one to two years to decide before moving from a job that they are not happy with to one that is more suited to them. This is a long time to work at a job that makes you unhappy. This research also claims “one year after a career change, individuals reported higher job satisfaction, improved job security and a reduction in the number of hours worked.”
The need to change a job is often a result of choosing a wrong career path at the beginning. So, learn from your mistakes and do not repeat them. Always have in mind that your body is your best career guide – pay attention to any psychological and physical symptoms like struggling to wake up for work in the morning even after going to bed on time the previous evening. People feel when they are not happy with their job.
Hmmm, HOW DO I KNOW IF THE NEW JOB IS A GOOD ONE FOR ME?
People also feel when they are satisfied by what they do – for example, they sleep better and make better decisions. But there’re also some signs that show employees enjoy their job. And yes, while good pay and promotions are always welcome, this is not the only way to keep good employees engaged and happy, as the expert in this YouTube video explains.
There are other things that a workplace can offer to ensure the stress levels of their employees are down while their enjoyment and engagement are up, such as:
- Providing in-house healthy food, massages, and yoga (oh, yes please!)
- Having a right workplace temperature (not too cold, nor too hot).
- Shhhh…maintaining a quiet workplace.
- Ka-ching – paying hourly wage rather than salary.
- Having flexible schedules and options to work from home at times – after all, who doesn’t love staying in pajamas all day long!?
- Showing their employees how their work fits into the big picture – helps the company hit joint targets.
- Showing appreciation for the work the team members do – saying ‘Thank you’ isn’t hard.
- Taking a genuine interest in achieving their employee’s future professional and personal goals.
- Listening to the employees’ ideas, suggestions, and complaints.
- Offering monetary and/or other types of rewards to their team members for achieving an individual or team goal.
WHAT ARE TOP 10 GOOD REASONS FOR LEAVING A JOB?
So, how do you know when it is a time to leave your job? Here are the top 10 telltale signs:
Reason 1: You dread going to work
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you struggling to go to work (especially during sunny days when your workload isn’t that heavy)?
- Is your physical or mental health harmed by working at your current job?
- Have you lost the enthusiasm/passion for your profession/team/company?
- Have you not learned anything new in your workplace for a very long time?
If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions and you just got back from a long, relaxing holiday but you are already feeling miserable on your first day back at work, then you might not believe in your employer’s company anymore or simply your work environment has become toxic.
Regardless of the reason, if the results are some or all of the following: your passion is gone; you really dislike your coworkers; your performance is slacking or you are bored at work all the time, then you should be clearing out your workstation.
Reason 2: Your personal life is suffering
You feel like you do not have a social life anymore since you took on your job. You find yourself canceling gatherings with your family and friend because you have to stay late at work. When you manage to go out in a group, you seem not present at the moment and tired from all the work you did before that. The people you live with have started complaining that you have changed for the worse.
You have a personal issue to deal with but you cannot do that unless you stop working. You are constantly stressed, negative, and unhappy at work. You stay overtime very often. You are asked to work at days that are usually your non-working days. All in all, you feel like you no longer have a work and life balance.
If can relate to any of the above, then your work has started affecting your personal life negatively. It looks like it is time to move on.
Reason 3: There is no room for career advancement
If you are at the same job for a very long time, the work starts getting repetitive and boring. That is why employees apply for or their employers offer them promotion/requalification from time to time. If you are ready for new challenges and responsibilities and feel that you are over-qualified or under-utilized, ask for a new position within the same company.
Explain to your boss that your skills are not being fully used, your ideas are not being heard or your job duties have changed but your job title/paycheque has not. However, if you have been working so hard towards a promotion and that never came, then the only way to advance your career is to change employers.
Reason 4: Your boss is bad and he/she is not going anywhere
Good employees quit when management is bad. If you are experiencing abuse (bullying or sexual harassment) or you have witnessed other illegal behavior at work, not only should you be looking for other work options, you should also report this behavior to the authorities in a timely and safe manner. Similarly, if it happens that you know more than your boss does, but you have a two-faced boss well-liked by the upper management who looks like he/she will be staying with the company for a long time – then you can stop tearing your hair out in frustration now and move on to your next working place.
Reason 5: The previous boss you loved is gone and you don’t get along with your new boss
As Heraclitus of Ephesus said “Panta Rhei” – everything flows or “The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change”. Also, bosses change – sometimes you get dealt a great boss, but sometimes a terrible one.
If your boss changed, and you tried everything in your power to get well with your new boss, but he/she still does not understand you and you do not see eye to eye; then, take the fact your old boss left as a reminder/wake-up call that your situation is not permanent and that you, too, like them can change your career path… or at least your employer.
Reason 6: Your side business/freelancing is taking off
While being employed full-time, you have also been working on your own business on a part-time basis (after working hours or during your weekends/days-off work). You have been doing freelancing work on some of the freelance online forums and your client base has increased significantly (existing clients are referring you to potential clients).
You are at a point where you are making the same or more money in your part-time venture than during your full-time employment, and you are enjoying it more. Good on you!
If you, too, believe that you are meant for bigger and better things, and have been living with this nagging feeling that there is something out there that will bring you more joy, reward, and recognition – then that might be your side gig. If this does sound like you – you have to go for it.
If you are indecisive whether you should quit your job to start a business this video will help you decide –
Reason 7: Your employer’s company is sinking
If as you are reading this, you find yourself in the following situation:
- The payments of your salaries are late or missing;
- Your bonuses are being cut out;
- Your company’s, otherwise regular, team-building events are being canceled;
- There are no new employees being hired;
- No new equipment/tools are being bought;
- There are more and more closed-door meetings;
- Senior leadership team members are leaving the company, and
- There are more procedures to control and limit spending,
then have in mind that your employer’s company might be in trouble and even maybe it is about to bankrupt soon. Before the employer’s debt towards you increases, cut your losses and ‘run’.
TIP: Start applying for other jobs before your company closes – otherwise, you will have to compete with your coworkers for the same positions in the same industry.
Reason 8: You have other life goals you wish to pursue
Do you daydream of doing something else while you are at work or all the time, such as:
- Developing your talent (music, art, acting, etc.)
- Upgrading/expanding your education
- Pursuing your favorite sport
- Getting self-employed
- Traveling
Yes? Great – then, you might want to consider leaving your job to do that or depending on your savings, transforming your full-time job to a part-time gig. Before doing either of these, make sure (and I cannot stress how important this is!) that you can live out of your savings or you have other passive streams of income while not working.
Reason 9: You aren’t paid as much as you’re worth
If your employer rejected your recent request for a pay rise, but you checked and realized that employees with your skills are paid significantly more at the competitors’ companies, then do not be afraid to change the team you are playing for.
However, before you request the pay rise, also check that it is justified and well argued, i.e. make sure that you are doing more than what you are expected to do for the current remuneration.
Do not approach your employer with your need for more money, nor with your belief that it is your right/time to ask for it – instead, do extra work and help colleagues without being asked and improve your existing skills or acquire new skills. If nothing of this worked – pack your bags.
Reason 10: The fun is “Hasta la vista baby!’”
The last, but not the least important reason is the lack of fun. Besides your job being demanding and tense it also used to be entertaining in the past, but now the fun is gone so your work is just hard and plain. You are not enjoying the company of your co-workers any longer. You are not laughing at their jokes anymore. When looking ahead, you do not see your job/workspace becoming more interesting/exciting in the future. Do not look back at this moment in regret – take action now!
THE FINAL WORD
If any of these top 10 reasons has struck a chord with you, then it is time to leave your job. If you decide to make a change, be smart about it – do not burn bridges by venting out your reasons for doing so, just leave gracefully. It might be scary to do so; but, do not forget that the only thing scarier than leaving your job is staying at it.
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