How do you tell the difference between going through a bit of a rough patch at work and when it’s time to call it a day and find yourself a new job? There are lots of things you can do to improve your time at work and boost your happiness in the office, however, if these don’t work you might want to consider starting the hunt for a new job.
More people are starting to change jobs more frequently as expectations of working life are evolving. Members of older generations are much more likely to have stayed with the same company their whole career, whereas the Millennial generation seems to be less content with this.
PwC’s NextGen survey suggested that Millennials have different motivations and priorities when it comes to their working lives. They seem to value aspects like having a sense of purpose and having a good work-life balance over financial success.
Liverpool Victoria carried out some research into how frequently UK workers change careers. On average, a worker will change jobs every 5 years and have one complete career change. Read on to find out if it’s about time you made one of those changes and started looking for a new job.
1. You don’t see eye-to-eye with your boss
You don’t need to agree on everything, however, being on a similar wavelength to your immediate superior can make life a lot easier.
The key here is to find an effective and honest way to communicate with each other. You might find that your issues simply stem from a misunderstanding. However, if you can’t work through it, then it might be time to find a manager you get along with more naturally.
2. You spend the weekend dreading Monday
Monday can be a tough one for anyone every once in a while, however, this shouldn’t be having a negative impact on time you should be enjoying.
One solution might be to organise something to look forward to on a Monday after work. This might be a regular catch-up with friends, some sort of exercise you enjoy or a weekly cinema trip. Anything that you would usually be really excited to get involved with. If this doesn’t change anything, you might want to have a think about whether or not this is the right job for you.
3. Stress is impacting your life
Your physical and mental wellbeing should always come first. If you think you might be struggling with either of these, it’s certainly time to have a think about your situation and seek advice from your doctor if necessary.
You might find that a change in your routine might help you cope better. Could you explore the option of flexible working with your employer? Could some of your responsibilities be altered?
4. You don’t feel valued at work
This can have a real impact on how you feel about your job. If you feel as though you’re not getting the recognition you deserve, it’s easy to feel resentful and negative towards your employer. It’s hard to motivate yourself when you feel like this and making progress will be more difficult.
This is another case where an open channel of communication with your manager is important. You need to be able to let them know how you feel and they should be able to work out a solution with you. If not, maybe it’s time to find a role where your work will be valued.
5. You’re not making progress
If you feel like you’ve hit a bit of a wall in your current role, be proactive and see how you might be able to take the next step. See if you can take on any more responsibility or some training and let your manager know that you think you’re ready for the next step.
If there aren’t any opportunities on the horizon, it might be time to start looking for something at another business.
6. It’s all you can talk about – in a bad way
Do you find yourself complaining about work constantly? Are your family and friends starting to notice? If you are constantly venting to them about your frustrations with your job this can start to have a negative impact on these relationships.
Start paying attention to what it is exactly that you’re complaining about and think about where this stems from. Is there anything that can be done to address these issues? Can you discuss any of them with your manager? If these problems aren’t resolved, it’s time to move on.
7. You don’t get along with your colleagues
If you’re going to be spending the majority of your working week with your co-workers, it’s important that you get along with them. If you’re struggling to find some common ground, that can make enjoying your time at work very difficult.
8. You’re under pressure when it comes to money
Are you struggling to remember when your last pay rise was? If you’re struggling to make ends meet and you haven’t had a pay rise in over a year, ask for one. This can be a nerve-wracking thing to do but you’re entitled to fair pay. If your requests are declined with no indication as to when this might be reviewed in the near future, start hitting the jobs boards.
9. You and your employer have different values
It can be very difficult to work in an environment where your values don’t align with those of the company you’re working for. These might be ethical concerns or misalignment of priorities. If these differences can’t be resolved and you feel uncomfortable working there, you’re likely to be much happier somewhere else.
10. It’s boring
If your job is no longer a challenge and you don’t enjoy it anymore, don’t just hang around waiting for things to change or for something better to come along. Be proactive and see if your manager can offer you any extra responsibilities or can change any of your tasks. If not, then it’s time to move on and find something that you can get excited about.
Flexible working
What are your views?
