Is It Time For You To Find A New Job?
You’re bored.
The main reason that people tire of their job is that they grow bored of it. And this is perfectly understandable in most jobs, regardless of the industry. After all, a full-time position often entails repetitive work. No matter how many job adverts might promise that “every day is different” at their company, the reality is that most businesses operate on a cycle. They receive the same kind of orders from the same kind of clients on a continuous basis. That means employees have to do the same kind of work on a continuous basis too.
Of course, the answer might be to switch up your own routine. Try to find ways to make your job new and exciting. Perhaps you could talk to your employer and ask them to take on a new project. Make it clear that you want to try something different. If you enter the workplace with a little more motivation and determination then you might be able to add variety to your work. Still, if you try this and it still feels dull or uninspiring then it’s probably time to find a job that offers you a little more variety. Perhaps a career in your current field of work isn’t right for you.
You’re working in an unsafe environment.
This is a big red flag. If you’re working in an unsafe environment then you definitely need to look for new work. Unless your workplace is only temporarily unsafe whilst repair work is being done or your boss has promised to fix any issues brought up in meetings, you shouldn’t continue to work in dangerous surroundings. An employer that makes no real progress towards workplace safety is not the kind of employer you want. No matter how good the salary or other workplace benefits, it isn’t worth the risk to your health or safety. If you have any doubts about your own wellbeing then you need to do your research to see if the company is doing anything to resolve those issues.
Of course, you might have realized the hard way that you’re working in an unsafe environment. Perhaps you were injured on the job as the result of another employee’s negligence or something hazardous in the workplace (e.g. an unmarked wet surface or fault warehouse tools). If this is the case then you might want to look into a workers’ comp lawyer as well as moving on to a new employer. It’s important to not only get the financial compensation necessary for any time you might have had to take off work to recover but also the closure necessary to move on from the incident. Whatever the case, you shouldn’t have to put up with a dangerous work environment. It’s definitely time to find a new job if your office is full of accidents waiting to happen.
You’re constantly overlooked.
Missing out on promotions or bonuses because you don’t work hard enough is understandable. However, if you’ve been putting in the extra hours and delivering 110% but your employer still hasn’t given you a job promotion or any sort of acknowledgement then it might be time to move on. Of course, you should make sure you have a chat with your boss before you make any rash decisions. Perhaps they genuinely haven’t noticed that you’ve been working so hard and they just need it to be pointed out to them. That might make sense if you’ve only been working for the company for a few months.
However, if you’ve been overlooked even though you’ve been dedicated to your job for years (and talked to your employer about your need for a promotion) then it might be time to find a new job. You could put the same amount of effort into a job with a different employer and progress much further in your career. If you work harder than anyone else in your office then you deserve recognition. Your contributions should be valued by the people who matter in your company, whether that’s your supervisor or your boss.
You’re not achieving your full potential.
Of course, failing to get a promotion isn’t the only way that you might be held back at your company. Perhaps your salary is fine and you have a very respectable position at your company. However, you might feel unsatisfied with your job because you’re not growing as an individual. As we discussed earlier, repetition can lead to boredom. Perhaps your job has reached its peak and you don’t feel challenged anymore. Your employer might not be giving you any projects that are helping you to achieve more in your career.
Still, as was also mentioned earlier, you could try to take on new projects. Perhaps you could ask your employer to give you more workplace responsibility. Perhaps you could start supervising certain teams in your office. You might even be given the responsibility of interviewing new candidates for certain job positions. Of course, if you still don’t feel that you’re achieving your full potential in your current job then it might be time to search for a position that will help you to grow on an individual level. Don’t hold yourself back in your career. If you can achieve more then go and achieve more.
You don’t like the boss or your colleagues.
Whilst you may not necessarily make close friends at work or even socialize with these people outside of work hours, you certainly shouldn’t hate your colleagues or your boss. That being said, many people don’t like their jobs because of the people around them. Your boss isn’t meant to be your friend, but they shouldn’t your enemy either. If your employer treats you poorly by overworking you or talking to you in an unprofessional and unpleasant manner then you might want to think about searching for jobs with other companies. This could be the perfect solution if the problem with your job is the people rather than the work itself.
Of course, you might want to start by talking to someone in the company’s Human Resources department. Workplace disputes can sometimes be resolved even if the resolution simply involves compromise. But compromise only works if you still enjoy the environment in which you work after the discussion has been had. And if you still don’t like the people in your office after trying to resolve any differences then you should definitely move on. Your boss probably isn’t going anywhere, so the best solution is probably for you to leave instead.
You’re always thinking about work.
If you get home from work and find yourself complaining endlessly to your friends and family about the awful nature of your job then this might be a big warning sign that it’s time to move on to something else. You shouldn’t always be thinking about work unless you absolutely love your job. Even then, that would be a little bit excessive. You should be able to come home from the office and relax with the people who matter. Or you should be able to simply watch a show on Netflix without the nagging worry in the back of your mind about all the work you’ll have to do tomorrow. If you can’t ever switch off then it’s a sign that you need to find a less demanding job.
You’re sleeping poorly.
As mentioned earlier when we discussed unsafe work environments, your health should never come second to your work. If your job is affecting your body or your mind in any way then you either need to address the problems at work that are causing you so much distress or accept that it might be time to quit your job and find something new. If you’re sleeping poorly then this is a clear sign that your job isn’t right for you. Stress can lead to sleep deprivation. As mentioned in the previous point, you shouldn’t always be thinking about work. You should be able to switch off. But sleep deprivation will only lead to a vicious cycle at work. You’ll be unable to concentration so you’ll fall behind on your projects. In turn, this will make you more stressed and you’ll get even less sleep. It might be time to stop the cycle and find a new job.
