According to a survey taken this past fall of 2,000 adult workers in the US, at least 40% of them want to quit their current jobs. Surprisingly, though, the reason isn’t a bad work-life balance. Or, at least, that’s not the only reason. Based on the data obtained from this survey, there are three primary reasons contributing to an employee’s sour mood.
- Lack of career growth. It can be extremely frustrating for some people to be in a position they feel isn’t going anywhere. Obviously, the definition of “anywhere” varies from person to person; for some, it means more fulfilling, more involved work, while for others it just means a bigger paycheck. Either way, employees and their managers should have a frank discussion about the employee’s current career goals and where their capabilities lie. If you think your potential is being wasted, don’t wait for a “big break;” be proactive and show your boss you want to do more. Of course, it’s also a manager’s job to be receptive to such things.
- Lack of appreciation. Unsurprisingly, most people enjoy being praised for their good work. An earnest “good work” here and a thankful smile there from the manager can do wonders toward making an employee feel like a valuable asset to the company. For employees, if you need some positive reinforcement, ask your manager what you’ve been doing right. Of course, you should also ask how you can improve yourself, otherwise you’re just fishing for compliments.
- Overloaded schedules. This isn’t just a matter of work-life balance, it’s a matter of daily grind versus crunch time. When employees have a large swath of additional work that needs to be finished in the same time frame as their regular stuff, it’s overwhelming. When a workload is unreasonable, employees need to speak with their managers right away and make their problems known. A good manager should work with their team to dole out work in a way that is efficient for everyone involved.
