Time To Leave Employer: Career change advice and making career change decisions

TIME TO LEAVE EMPLOYER  |  Help Making A Decision  |  Should You Quit? 

Sometimes there are situations beyond an individual's control making life at work increasingly difficult.  People put up with a lot at work and eventually there is a breaking point where loyalty is severely tested. 

Some people will go with the flow and tolerate the situaton, whereas others will think about quitting their current job for a role with another company.  It is important to assess the warning signs and to question whether it is time to quit.  Always consider the benefits and costs of quitting.

The following are possible reasons for quitting - they have been placed in no particular order or preference.  It is up to the individual to make a realistic assessment of their predicament and to seek further advice before making a decision.

Taking work home with you at the end of the day

Work should not immerse itself in your home life. Employees should be able to switch off and not feel 'burnt out' at the end of the day. It is important to assess whether work is having a negative effect on personal lives and causing unnecessary stress. If the work-life balance is compromised too much,
then it is time to consider other options.

Deteriorating relationship with line manager

Relationships with line management are the most important employees will have whilst at work. A destructive management culture is not conducive to effective team-working, instilling a positive work ethic and good morale. This can be stressful and can make employees unhappy.

If there is no job satisfaction as a result of management culture and decision-making, then it is time to consider other options. This may involve just moving within the company or leaving for another employer.

Feeling bored and uninspired

Feeling unchallenged by a lack of responsibility or achievement. Days seem to go on forever with little inspiration. If there is a sense of feeling 'brain-dead' then it is certainly time to reconsider your role.

Intense negativity and poor morale

There is a less than positive and proactive working environment. This is not conducive to a positive work ethic and will be de-motivating. Once on a downward spiral, it is time to consider more positive and challenging opportunities elsewhere.

Little or no respect shown?

It is important to feel a sense of respect from colleagues and line managers.
A lack of respect will affect self-esteem and ultimately morale.

Evidence of this could be ideas not taken seriously, exclusion from projects, responsibilities and promotions being given to others as well as a lack of training and development.

The evidence will be overwhelming.  Management will tend to show favouritism - there are better opportunities elsewhere.

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Lack of harmony between colleagues

Effective management should nurture a stable and positive working environment where employees are able to work and share success together. There should be no reason for arguments, raised voices or personality clashes, etc.

This shows a lack of professionalism and highlights obvious managerial deficiencies. No one should be affected by the moods of others. Depending on how much management allows (condones) such behaviour and how people are affected will determine a readiness to move on.

Lack of communication

There is often a sense of being the last to know about something or being kept in the dark. Good employers often develop open and involving environments where employees feel involved and openly communicated to.

Feeling left out maybe a sign that your role is not of significance or it could just be a matter of how the company culture is managed (deliberate or not). This may not be a big issue in wanting to move to another company. All companies, large or small have communication issues!

Pay and benefits indicators

Everyone works for some reason, usually for money to spend as they wish. This means that pay and benefits packages are important indicators as to the value a company places on an employee.

Employee loyalty will always be tested if no pay rise or bonus is forthcoming or if increases have not been received for a considerable period of time. There is always an impression that other employees and other companies are offered better pay and benefits packages.

To assess a current position in relation to other companies, it is worthwhile looking on the internet to benchmark salaries and benefits packages. If asking for a pay rise, it is important to understand worth (benchmarking), whilst demonstrating why the company should pay more (i.e. special
skills or accomplishments). Without a realistic business case, there will be no pay rise.

There maybe very real reasons as to why employers are unable to improve remuneration packages.
For instance, the company maybe undergoing an internal salary review process or the company cannot simply afford to do so due to business operating conditions.

It is an individual decision as to whether this is a big issue. It is one of the main reasons why people start searching for other jobs. Yes, other companies probably pay more but do some research and remember the grass 'may not be greener' elsewhere!

Affected by day-to-day distractions of colleagues

Employees are unable to complete day-to-day responsibilities or meet productivity targets if they feel distracted by colleagues. There is no focus or sense of achievement driven by the actions (hindrances) of fellow employees. A more professional working environment would help.

Work overkill

Work can take over personal time, given expectations of working late and meeting deadlines. For some careers, it is necessary to work long hours so a judgement must be made on maintaining a work-life balance. If a work-life balance is important then consideration must be given to other roles. Work to live, not live to work!

Feeling of not wanting to go to work

There is a dreaded empty feeling about going to work. Something is obviously wrong and causing concern. It is necessary to address those concerns with the company as it could be a simple misunderstanding, training or another HR issue. Be brave.

Life may improve if engaging the company in a professional manner. Ask a close colleague to be a witness or go with you for morale support. A resolution maybe found and there could be other roles available in the company, which could enrich work life.

If the company does not take such issues seriously, then it is clearly obvious you are not wanted or considered valuable by the company. Find a company that wants you and values what you can offer. There is no need to suffer in silence or be stressed as it will ultimately make you ill.

Dealing with an ever-increasing workload

Employers look to squeeze every extra drop of productivity out of workers so a heavy workload and long hours are often inevitable.

If work cannot be organised effectively, there is a sense of being overwhelmed and management do not support any pleas for help, it is time to consider your position. Management support is critical for dealing with increased workloads (management should be able to take the pressure off when required).

If feeling a lack of control and the situation will only get worse with increased stress. Remember, there could be times of the year that are busier than others so the increased workload may only be temporary.

Bullying in the workplace

Employers deny bullying ever happens in the workplace. If you feel intimidated, aggressed or humiliated at work then there is something wrong. The company is showing a clear lack of respect, professionalism and duty of care.

There are often one or two culprits making life impossible for others. If you have confidence in the wider company, it is worthwhile telling someone about how you feel. If there is no resolve to deal with the situation and the bullying culture is inherent, this makes a decision to consider alternative
employers much simpler.

Job insecurity - poor company performance

If the company is going through a bad time and there is a prospect of redundancy, the writing is often on the wall. Anxiety levels will increase for everyone involved.

If the length of service is less than two years, chances are there will be no redundancy payout so you may wish to leave. If there is likely to be a worthwhile redundancy package, then it maybe necessary to keep options open about whether to stay with the company. Check your options fully (seek advice).

Individual - Changing role & responsibilities 

-  Not being kept informed about issues you should know about.
-  Diminishing responsibilities or additional responsibilities being given to others.
-  Change in job title or job description - for the better or worse?

Individual - Performance-related issues

-  Being performance managed - are you being supervised very closely for some reason?
-  Receiving unexpected poor performance reviews & getting no praise for good work.
-  Generally not meeting performance expectations, productivity targets, completing work, etc.
-  Making mistakes and not acknowledging or learning from them.

Individual - Lack of self-discipline

-  Poor time-keeping, absenteeism, too many breaks, using the Internet too much, etc. 
-  Distracting others - talking too much, being too loud, complaining to others, etc.
-  Showing a negative attitude towards others, having too much of an ego (big-headed), etc.
-  Undermining the team - not working collaboratively with colleagues, etc.
-  Showing a general lack of professionalism, complacency and lack of motivation.

Company - Changes within the company

-  Company re-organisation - could lead to speculation and negative rumours.
-  Other people leaving (i.e. time of year, complaining about management, etc).