Job satisfaction is hard to come by these days. Depending on which survey you look at, the proportion of employees who hate their jobs or are just disengaged ranges between 66% to 90%. Given that we spend a substantial amount of time at work, this would make for a very unhappy, frustrated, and angry population.
Some of the reasons why people hate their jobs include factors like the boss, colleagues, type of work, lack of growth, remuneration, and lack of work-life balance among others.
None of these aspects are static or defined in the same manner. While some are dissatisfied with a boss that is too controlling, others have issues with the lack of direction or hand-holding. While some complain about the lack of professionalism among colleagues, others complain about how there is no scope for a laugh at work. The HR department has been trying to find answers to this question by slicing the data by gen X, millennials, experience, leadership status, type of work, and more. They seem to be nowhere near an understanding of what needs to be done in order to provide better job satisfaction. Coaching valued employees is the answer to this issue but it is not a quick fix and it required the company to invest in the employee. If you want to know more about this, contact us.
Even though there is such a large proportion of the workforce that hates their job, the resignation rates are not this high – not even in this post-pandemic ‘Great Resignation’. So, one wonders why people stick on to their jobs even though they hate it so much!
Why you are not able to Quit our Job
Having worked in the corporate world for more than 12 years and then left my job, I can understand that it is no easy task to just go ahead and quit. There are too many questions that arise in the mind and there are too many things to be considered. Some of the reasons that we do not quit our jobs even though we hate them are discussed below.
Compensation – We know for sure that we do not like what we do. We are miserable each and every day. Mondays feel like we have been handed another life sentence all over again. And yet, the salary at the end of the month that is credited into our accounts allows us to pay the monthly installments for the car and the house. Only because of that are we able to afford the brands that we love to buy and the vacations we enjoy so much (what vacations, you might say but that is another discussion on work-life balance).
Comfort – Despite the fact that we may not like the work that we do, we are familiar with what needs to be done. Starting from the systems in the company to where to go to find something to where the coffee machine is and who has the latest information in the team, everything is known. When our actions become automatic, they require less and less effort. The amount of effort that it takes to get acquainted with all the new systems and acquire the same level of seamlessness is huge.
Loyalty – This was definitely something that was a big factor a few decades back. However, it is not one of the quoted reasons for not leaving an organization. The only loyalty that one hears about these days is often directed at specific people that we might have worked with.
Lack of opportunities – Some of us may not be able to quit our jobs because there are not enough jobs out there. However, the fact is that this excuse is tied in with the ‘salary’ and comfort’ reasons. There may not be opportunities that give you the same level of comfort and compensation that you are getting right now. Otherwise, there are enough jobs in the market for someone who is already employed and has proven themselves in the industry.
Fear – While this is being presented as one of the many reasons, it might as well be the ONLY reason why we are not able to quit a job that we hate. FEAR is the biggest hurdle towards quitting the job that we hate and moving on to other areas that at least give us a chance to be happier in what we do. This fear, however, is not the fear of the same thing. It can be fear of losing compensation, fear of losing seniority, position, or power, fear of not being able to perform in the new role, fear of being wrong about quitting or the new job, fear of trying something new, fear of hurting someone (the one you may be loyal to), or fear of what people might say. The last fear comes from having to answer the dreaded question ‘What do you do?’
Steps to Take to Quit the Job You Hate
- Determine whether you really want to quit – This is the critical step that comes at the very start. You have to be completely convinced that you want to quit your job. We like to complain about our jobs all the time. It feels nice to let out steam about how irritating the boss is, how demanding or competitive the environment is, how there is no work-life balance, how the team you work with is totally inefficient and (I just realized) this list can go on forever if I do not stop. Complaining about work is also a great way to garner the sympathy of others around us (‘Awww! Poor thing, has to work so much to support his/her family’ – a privilege not so readily offered to women!) and we need to take a deep look inside and ask ourselves whether we really hate the job and whether we are willing to find ways of getting out of this. (By the way, it is totally fine to continue to complain about the work if you want to. Just don’t get fooled into believing this story yourself too!)
- Make a list of reasons why you want to quit – If you have reached this point, then we are assuming that you really DO want to quit this job that you hate. Make a list to understand why you want to quit the job. Ask yourself questions like these:
- What is this job costing me?
- What happens if I continue to stay in this job from all perspectives – financial, emotional, work-life balance, mental health, etc.
- What am I missing out on by continuing this job?
- Stop making excuses – As you make the list in step 2, there are a lot of thoughts that will come in your head about why you should NOT quit. All the fears mentioned in the previous section will show their ugly head and you may start sweating beads of perspiration at the very thought of losing that comfort, power, or compensation. There is nothing wrong with the fears that you have. They are real and need to be considered. The issue is the manner in which you are probably thinking about them.
- Catastrophizing – If I quit this job, I will never be able to get this kind of salary. No other company is going to hire me at this level.
- Overgeneralizations – Everyone who quits their jobs to try something on their own fall and fail badly.
- Labeling – Quitting the job means I am a quitter and am leaving the team in the lurch.
- Negativity bias – I know of this person who quit his job and then was kicked out of his new company and now he is jobless.
- Emotional reasoning – I can’t quit my job because every time I think of it, I feel scared and queasy in the stomach.
- Denying – I don’t really hate my job.
- Double standards – I know Jack quit his job and did well in his venture but that is not me
- Mind Reading – I know if I quit my job everyone will think I am a loser
- Create the worst-case scenario – Not everyone likes this step but it can help in giving a sense of control. Once you have thought of the worst-case scenario, pay attention to how many things will need to go wrong in order to reach there. This helps in understanding that the probability of something that drastic happening is extremely low. For those who need to reduce their worry about such an occurrence, there is the option of ‘planning and parking’ – plan what you can do if something happens and then park it to be picked up if it ever does happen. The parking planning process makes you feel more in control and the parking process helps you put that worry away from your mind.
- Envision the best-case scenario – This is where things get interesting. In the coaching sessions that we do, we use a tool called the ‘Best Possible Future Self’ tool that helps in putting you in a place of calm and positivity. The idea is to visualize your best future self. It is not supposed to be a flight of fancy where you start to dream of becoming a Hollywood Actor (if you have nothing to do with that industry or acting). This is the stage where you give yourself permission to let go of your limiting beliefs and reach to achieve your full potential. It is also important to experience how you would ‘feel’ at that moment when you are your best self.
- Create your plan to get there – Once you have the vision painted in your head, it can become a great motivator for the plan. In this last step, we plan how to get there. This involves getting into a deep understanding of what is required to get there – the specific steps, the resources, the connections, the support, the people, the skills, and the motivation.
The 6 steps described are not easy to accomplish on your own, especially if the fears are strong or if you have been in a position where you have wanted to quit your job for years but have not been able to. Contact us and we will help you navigate these steps towards a future you can be happy with.
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