With cultural shifts like ‘quiet quitting’ and ‘the great resignation’ taking the world by storm, workers are less willing to stay somewhere they’re not happy. If you often find yourself questioning whether you’re content at work, the chances are that you’re probably not. Here are five subtle signs that it might be time to start looking for another job.
You’ve stopped learning in your role
Do you often find yourself completing seemingly monotonous tasks, daydreaming all the time and feeling bored? It might be because you’ve stopped learning in your role. Learning new skills and strengthening your knowledge is a core part of a job role. Whether it’s taking a course, learning a new aspect of your job or deepening your knowledge of the industry, learning provides an opportunity to develop professionally and grow your career.
Becoming more knowledgeable is also a cornerstone to being able to negotiate a higher wage and be considered for promotions, so it’s vital to be able to nurture this part of your role. If you find that you’ve stopped learning and your development isn’t being supported anymore, it might be time to consider looking at other job options.
You often try to book off holiday
Every one of us needs to book time off to relax, do personal errands, or go on holiday with our loved ones. Having a break to look forward to is a great motivator and vital to enjoying a long-term job. But do you ever find yourself always trying to book time off work? Or scrolling through your calendar to see when your next day off is? This kind of habit might be a sign that you’re desperate to be anywhere other than at work. If you find often find yourself trying to book time off, it might be worth considering whether to look for something else.
You haven’t had a pay rise in a long time
Do you remember the last time you had a pay rise? Many companies have a personal development plan or regular reviews with employees once or twice a year. These meetings are used to track how employees have grown in their roles, discuss issues and negotiate pay rises. There might be valid reasons you haven’t had a pay rise once, but if it becomes longer than a couple of years, then this could impact how you feel about your job overall.
You don’t get on with your colleagues
Do you feel happy or nervous at the prospect of bumping into your colleagues in the office kitchen, or the local pub? It’s not imperative to get on with your colleagues at work. But having nothing in common with the people you work with every day can be a challenge, and often it can be a sign that the company isn’t right for you. Whilst many aren’t phased by being very different to their work environment, it could cause you to feel at odds with your job long-term.
You don’t look forward to your week
Whilst we all look forward to the weekend, it’s important to also look forward to things in the week as well. Do you find yourself excited by the prospect of going to work? Is there a project that you’re proud of, or a work event that you’re really looking forward to? Or does the thought of logging on to your PC fill you with dread? If you’re continuously not looking forward to going to work then it might be a subtle sign that you don’t really want to be there. Work should provide value to your life in more than one way, and so if it’s not, then you might not really be happy there.
Being happy at work is important in ensuring you’re enjoying a big part of your life. If you’re unhappy with your job, it can start to impact your mood and bleed into other areas of your life. Did any of these points resonate with you? If so, it might be time for you to find a job that makes you happy.
–
Mateus Campos Felipe Via UnSplash
