Feeling burnt out at work? Or maybe you’ve come to realise just how toxic your company is?
With rumours of “The Great Resignation” wave hitting our shores, one can’t help but wonder…
Is it time to quit my job?Â
Just like relationships, there are certain red flags to look out for when working for a company. After all, your relationship with your company takes up the bulk of your waking hours.
That said, you shouldn’t go into your boss’ office with all guns blazing just because you’ve gotten some feedback that you disagreed with.
So here are the top reasons to leave a job and look for greener pastures.
TL;DR: Reasons For Leaving A Job
1. You’re overworked and stressed out.
2. You’re underpaid.
3. Your workplace has a toxic culture.
4. You no longer see a future with your company.
5. You’ve lost your sense of purpose.
1. You’re Overworked and Stressed Out.
Do you find yourself dragging your feet to work all the time?
Are you having one too many rushed dinners while a constant cloud of work-related worries looms over your head?
If your work is leaving you feeling stressed and anxious, to the point that it takes a toll on your physical and mental health, you may be experiencing signs of overwork.
So if you’re unable to achieve a healthy work-life balance, you may want to consider switching out for a role that values your personal time.
2. You’re Underpaid.
If you’re slogging hard at your job but come to the realisation that you’re not paid enough when compared to your peers in the industry…
Or perhaps you’ve missed a promotion despite doing well and received some vague excuse from your boss…
You might be underpaid and it could be time to find a company that values your worth.
3. Your Workplace Has a Toxic Culture.
From Night Owl Cinematics (NOC) to BooksActually and even Razer, we’ve seen plenty of news about workplace toxicity where bosses make derogatory remarks and blame culture is rampant.
Take a look at your workplace.
If you’re receiving too many “off-hours” messages on WhatsApp, passive-aggressive emails or rumours reminiscent of primary school gossip, there’s a high chance that your workplace is toxic too.
While many of us would just suck it up and endure it, citing reasons such as generous remuneration, it may be time to leave when your mental health gets affected or if you’re noticing many others leaving due to a toxic work environment.
4. You No Longer See a Future With Your Company.
If you feel like you’re stagnating in your career and that you’re no longer growing professionally, take it up with your boss to evaluate your options within the company.
This could mean a promotion with more responsibilities or a different role that allows you to learn new skills.
However, if you no longer see a future with your company due to the lack of new opportunities, you might want to consider taking that leap and moving on to a new company.
5. You’ve Lost Your Sense of Purpose.
Remember being all starry-eyed and landing your dream job?
Fast forward to today and you’re wondering why you’re even doing this for a living.
Let’s face it, change is inevitable and our aspirations may deviate from what we’ve signed up for initially.
It may feel like your work doesn’t make an impact and that you’re just going through the routines of your job.
Of course, I’m not saying that working to put food on the table isn’t a noble purpose.
On the flip side, feeling dissatisfied and unfulfilled with your job may have lasting consequences on your self-esteem, which is closely aligned with working as discovered by a study in the US.
Afterthoughts
Despite all these reasons, leaving your current job is no doubt a tough decision.
For those who value stability, it would be ideal if you could secure a new position before making the switch.
Then again, if your workplace is super toxic and you simply can’t take it anymore, leaving without securing a job is an option too.
Either way, it is important to make sure that you have sufficient emergency funds to ensure that you can still get by even if you’re left unemployed for six months.
