Not wanting to head to work might not be an uncommon issue, but when it starts happening a little too regularly you might begin to think. The next stage is deciding whether to stop moaning and actually do something about it, or start to think more constructively.Do you know for certain that you’d be happier out of there and in a different job? Are your issues resolvable? If you’re set on moving, you want to be moving for the right reasons, not because of one rare emotional disagreement with a colleague that escalated.
PerformanceSometimes people might consider moving if they feel unvalued or undervalued. It could be that a disappointing appraisal left them feeling frustrated, or it could be that they feel more taken for granted, day-to-day. Either way, resentment of criticism or even their efforts being ignored can provoke a move.Where possible, in this situation you should try to consider rationally and without emotion. Can you engage your seniors and speak openly? Can you redress any concerns and improve areas where it’s perceived that you are underperforming? Think first about potential resolutions to differences.Once you know you’ve done everything possible to resolve issues and improve yourself, you’ll feel a greater confidence and pride in yourself. If you do end up moving on, you can do so with a fully clear conscience.MotivationThere are elements of repetition and monotony to most jobs. But if the work you’re doing now is identical to the work you were doing five years ago, you can be forgiven for feeling bored and restless. Also people can get complacent and performance can dip. After a certain time, change can be for the best.Again, if you’ve exhausted all potential avenues of developing your skills, accepting greater responsibility or getting a rewarding promotion, then looking at external options might be your best bet.Belonging Belonging at a company or in a role can depend a lot on your team and how you get along with your colleagues. A new boss or colleague can mean you’re suddenly working with someone you don’t instantly connect with; you might not share much in common, it can all feel a bit awkward. As much as you might open yourself up and try to develop that relationship (as you should), we can’t always get along brilliantly with everyone. People are different. Sticking around in a job where you don’t feel like you belong, regularly clashing with colleagues: that’s no good for anybody.Hopefully you’ll be able to spot any warning signs before things get too bad, but if you find your confidence reducing in your ability to perform a role, it’s probably time to start looking elsewhere.
PaySo, you’re actually not that unhappy where you are, but think you could be paid better? Support your hunches by doing some market research and finding some figures using a tool like Payscale or checking the latest figures in the news. Then you can approach your boss with a stronger argument. And there could be extra budget available. We British are often a little too shy when it comes to being direct, especially with issues of money. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know.Additionally, the act of bringing this to your boss will alert them to your potential restlessness, and potentially mean they’ll begin to value you more. Their reaction, good or bad, might inform whether or not you start looking for other jobs.In the end only you have the choice whether to act or not, and how to make those decisions. You can sit back and accept the work situation as it is, tell yourself that nobody likes their job so it’s all fine really. Or you can try and change things.If you’d like to chat confidentially about work options in office administration, construction, catering, or care, please get in touch.
