The grass isn’t greener: Why you should stay in your job
One in five people have said they are looking to change their jobs this year. And while there are plenty of benefits to switching, there are also many reasons to stay put.
Making the move may cause a significant upheaval in your life, and you need to ask yourself whether it is really necessary.
Yes, you’ll probably secure an uplift in pay and freshen up the tasks you perform on a daily basis. But you will also have to start from scratch: learning to navigate office politics; figuring out who the real influencers are; establishing who your supporters are; and gaining the trust of those who don’t know you yet.
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and it may be the case that a few tweaks will help you fall back in love with your current job.
REMEMBER THE HONEYMOON
Think about what initially attracted you to your current role. Try to remember what it was during the interview stage that really sparked your interest. It could have been the great learning and development opportunities promised to you, for example. If budgets have been cut, why not seek out a mentor to stimulate your development again?
Just because your organisation isn’t putting additional learning opportunities on a plate for you, it shouldn’t stop you from accessing them yourself.
IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME
It’s all too easy to blame your company for your unhappiness, but could you make changes to improve your mindset? So your boss is really annoying – that is frustrating, but is it enough to throw in the towel?
Your next boss could make you work all hours under the sun, be condescending and have a reputation for getting through new starters at record speed. How bad would your current boss look then?
While fear of the unknown should never be a reason to stay put, you should seriously consider whether your current situation is really that bad in comparison to how it could be. This means taking off the rose tinted glasses to assess more deeply whether your friend’s new job really is as wonderful as they have convinced you it is.
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT
Have you spoken to your manager about your career recently and let them know how you feel? They’re not mind-readers after all, and may be surprised to hear that you are unhappy. Talking to your boss about your job can be a really positive step towards increasing your own happiness at work, and opening up channels of communication again. But this needs to be handled the right way.
Go into any discussion with a positive attitude. Think about how you could play a part in making things better, and ask for help to achieve it. Don’t go in with a list of complaints and moans and expect your boss to make everything alright for you. Explain how you feel, that you’ve thought about it clearly and have come up with some suggestions about how you could make the situation better.
It may be that changing job is the best option for you after all. But before making a decision that will affect your life considerably – effectively occupying your waking hours – seriously consider if there are simple measures you could take to improve where you currently are.