When we begin to feel dissatisfied, stressed, or unhappy in our jobs, it can be too easy to think that solution is to leave that role or company. With the cost-of-living crisis deepening, inflation at a record high and a recession looking ever likely, an uncertain economic climate means that changing jobs may in fact be risky. After all, what we see in a job advert and interview is only a snapshot of what it would be like to work in that company.
Believing that the grass may be greener elsewhere can be a harmful way of thinking. In addition to this, job hunting and the application process are incredibly time-consuming and potentially stressful so should you, therefore, give your employer a second chance?
In the first instance, would it not be better to engage with your line manager and colleagues to see if there could be a solution to the issues you are experiencing?
Open and honest communication
Being open and transparent in your communication with your boss and your colleagues is critical in fostering an environment of trust and mutual respect. It also staves off ill-feeling when decisions are made that feel sudden to the other person because they were oblivious to frustration and annoyances that have been building internally over time. If we talk about our career goals, interests, challenges, where we add value and where or how we want to progress a lot of the gripes melt away.
Taking responsibility for one’s own career
We may feel at times that we are overlooked or that we have not progressed in our career due to outside influences but ultimately, we are all responsible for our own destiny. We need to empower our employees to take positive steps to seek out their own solutions and to take responsibility for their own career progress and satisfaction.
In one of our teams, there is a rule instilled that if you’re going to highlight a problem, do so with three solutions you have already thought of and present them at the same time. This encourages ideas and innovation to flow and a collaborative approach to challenges in the workplace.
Self-leadership
What is self-leadership and how can we cultivate this? Self-leadership is tied to self-awareness and self-management. If you are already thinking that you are unhappy at work and the grass may be greener elsewhere, then you have already exercised some self-awareness. It’s what you do next that is important and can push you towards self-leadership. Here are some points to think about if you’ve made that first step toward self-awareness:
- Reflect on your business goals
- Recognise ongoing failure and success
- Communicate effectively
- Ensure you are engaged and reflective
- Understand how you support the company’s mission
- Exercise curiosity and ask questions
- Take responsibility for your attitude and health
- Take the initiative. Don’t wait for your boss or HR to take control of your self-development – if you want to develop in an area, find a course and make your case.
Employee empowerment
How an employee feels about their job is central to retaining talent; those that feel “valued, confident, and empowered” will be engaged employees and less likely to leave. When we feel empowered it means that as individuals, we have the confidence and the tools to act. This means that we recognise if circumstances are not what we want and that it is within our own capability to take action to change this. This state of empowerment exists when we work in businesses where engagement is part of the culture and creativity is allowed to flourish. Creativity and innovation are the payoffs of a strong culture of engagement and business success comes when employees are intrinsically motivated.
Confidence to speak up
You may feel that your line manager or colleagues know what is bothering you, but people cannot read minds. It is important that we feel confident and part of a psychologically safe environment to speak up when we are not happy. If this feels too much, to begin with, start by writing down what it is that doesn’t feel right. The writing process itself can be positive and helpful. If you don’t feel that you can go directly to your line manager, then think about a colleague who you trust to give a balanced perspective and voice how you feel. Getting out of your own head and saying what you think out loud is enormously helpful and often we find the answers through this verbalisation.
Gratitude, positive attitude, and proactiveness
When we’re feeling dissatisfied or unhappy with our work it can be challenging to switch our mindset but one way to start is through gratitude. The power of this practice is well documented and enables you to shift your head away from what isn’t working to the parts of your job you are grateful for.
I’ve found that worry and irritation vanish into thin air the moment I open my mind to the many blessings I possess.”
Dale Carnegie
Instead of feeling unhappy about the work you are doing, it may be beneficial both to your business and yourself to think about ways to take more responsibility in the workplace. This means you can have a conversation with your line manager that is positive and proactive instead of negative and detrimental. It allows you to verbalise that perhaps you need a new challenge or different responsibilities, and that way opens a conversation where you can bring about change in a positive way. When we make shifts and fully immerse ourselves in different responsibilities or challenges, it can be enough to shift our mindset. A business thrives when individuals think for themselves and identify areas where they can take the initiative “and do what needs to be done before someone asks”. Inevitably taking on different responsibilities may give you the opportunity to collaborate with different individuals within the business and reignite your passion for the company.
Before deciding to leave our job, it is therefore important to ask ourselves honestly if we have truly gone through a process of self-awareness, communication, and reflection. It is important to recognise how much personal responsibility we must take for our own careers and give our employer a second chance before deciding that the grass is greener elsewhere.
At Dale Carnegie we’ve helped millions of individuals take command of their careers and their futures. Where would you like to improve?
