We’re recruiters. We help people find jobs, not tell them when it’s time to quit.
Here’s the thing, your job right now may not be the perfect job for you.
Today (31st January) is the most popular day in the most popular month to quit your job. Understandable as after the highs of Christmas, the miserable weather and the long wait until payday can leave a lot of resentment.
There will always be signs, genuine signs, that you should think about moving on to a different company.
So although today may be the day, don’t despair here are the signs you need to look out for before deciding you should leave.
You Dread Going to Work
We all have moments or days where we wake up and really just fancy crawling back under the covers and cancelling all plans for the day. However, if you genuinely dread going into your place of work, day in day out, then it may be time to find a new role.
We’ve used the word dread here deliberately, it has to be that strong. Full-time workers in the UK spend an average of 37 hours per week in the office or on site. With so long in the same place, you need to be able to go there and enjoy your day, not fear it.
If it’s the standard Sunday night blues then that doesn’t count. But if you genuinely fear going into work then it’s time to update your CV and start looking for a new role where you feel at peace.
The environment is toxic
This is arguably one of the most important (and common) reasons people leave jobs. If the environment you work in has become toxic, there can be a huge number of side effects.
What you consider to be a toxic environment may be different from someone else however if your co-workers are constantly complaining, and your boss is persistently unhappy, then the environment is probably toxic. Also you’re likely to become unhappy with your work and your role in this environment and can even kill the passion you have for your whole career.
If you find your work has turned into a bad environment for you, then it’s time to start looking.
Your Health is affected
When you’re stressed out at work, it’s only logical that it would affect your sleep. A massive 74.5 per cent of Brits say that workplace stress is the thing keeping them awake at night, according to a survey by HRnews. That feeling of not being able to ‘switch off’ is more dangerous than you might think. Everyone needs a balance between work and life, and not being able to find it could affect more than just your 40 winks.
Of course, it’s not just your sleep that could be hindered by stress at work. In 2016 and 2017, around 526,000 people in the UK said that they were suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, according to results from Health and Safety Executive. That’s an enormous amount of people. If you’re one of them, figuring out a way to solve the problem is crucial. Leaving your current role might be the answer.
Burnout & No Rest
Burnout has become common place in today’s job environment. More and more professionals are suffering with it and it has even been classified as a syndrome by the World Health Organization. Admittedly the above point is associated with burnout, but if you have tried to “power through” the tough times and come to the point of burnout. It’s time to reassess and move on.
This is compounded by not being left alone. Being unable to switch off can lead to stress, however, what’s worse is not being allowed to switch off. When you go home of an evening, that should be your time. You’re not on the clock, so it shouldn’t be expected to have you answer every email.
Basically, if your managers don’t respect your boundaries and continue to bombard you with questions when you’re not on the job, that’s a real issue. Don’t stand for it.
You should always try to address it directly first, however, if the behaviour continues and is impacting your home life, then it’s time to start looking.
You’ve stalled or can’t continue
At the end of the day your career is all about growth. So if you’re not growing then you have stalled. Don’t waste time in a position that doesn’t offer opportunities for growth.
Are you learning new things at your workplace? Do you have the opportunity to grow in your role? Is the management team investing in you and your future?
If you don’t have those opportunities or you feel like you have stalled in your career, don’t wait around. Spending too long in a job can actually be detrimental to your career, particularly if you’re not progressing.
The same is true for the other end of the spectrum too. If your role has grown way beyond the job description, that’s not a bad thing, if you’re getting paid and are valued. Issues only happen when you’re not being paid the right wage for your new skills or are taking on too much for you to handle.
This is definitely something that you need to talk to your management about, but if they can’t or are unwilling to help then you should start looking.
Bad management is making you want to quit
Over two thirds of workers (69.3%) think their boss has an impact on how much they like or dislike their job. So, it’s no wonder then that 47.3% of you say bad management is the top reason for wanting to quit your job. If you find your boss is grumpy and rude to you, micro-manages you, or treats you like a cog in a machine, it’s probably time to do something about it.
We advise you to speak directly to your boss and confront the problem. But make sure you handle the issue delicately no matter how fed up you are.
If you really don’t like the idea of talking to your boss, you should pay a visit to your HR department and discuss your concerns there.
If a solution doesn’t seem to present itself, it might be time to start looking around for a new role where someone will manage you properly.
Find a job you love
The antidote to all of these issues is finding a new job, but more importantly, find a job you love, one that you want to be in.
This won’t guarantee happiness but will definitely go a long way towards it. Find a job that you love, one that fulfils you and lets you grow.
If you’re looking for that role we can help.