The last couple of months have given many employees a crash course in what it’s like to work from home. If you can separate what it takes to get your job done from everything else going on in the world, which we know is exceptionally difficult, have you taken a step back and asked yourself if working from home actually makes your job easier, or if you like your job more? If working from home is making you happier, is it because your workplace is an unhappy one? If you’re spending most of your week fighting through your existence in a workplace filled with unhappy people, it’s no wonder you might be loving the fact that you don’t have to go there right now. So how do you know if your workplace is unhappy, and it’s making you unhappy? And more importantly, what do you do about it?
Three signs you might be working in an unhappy workplace
Does everyone in your office file into their workspaces without saying hello, or skip asking any friendly questions when colleagues are in a common area? This could be a telltale sign of several toxic patterns that could be occurring. Low levels of trust might be present due to a well fed gossip mill. Low morale and high competition could also be driving the impersonal and unfriendly behavior of employees. A lack of trust in leadership could also be responsible for a generic malaise that makes it feel like no one wants to be at work.
Do managers meet or have conversations with non-management level colleagues?
Of course there are times and topics when it’s appropriate for only management and leadership to gather. However, if there’s an unwritten and often observed rule that managers are only to meet with managers, and non-managers are only to meet with non-managers, there’s likely a bigger issue brewing. This type of behavior seeks to support and implement a rigid hierarchy, and can have devastating effects on employee morale. The feeling that if an employee doesn’t have a certain title, or doesn’t have a certain number of employees reporting to them can create a culture that leaves most employees feeling “out of the loop,” or the “odd man out.” It can also create a hyper competitive atmosphere because employees want to be “in the know,” and would do just about anything to be one of the chosen few.
Are you feeling stretched too thin with no end in sight?
If you’re feeling like you’re only getting more and more work and none of the kudos for taking on more responsibility, it’s time to talk to your manager. However, if you’ve talked to your manager and haven’t gotten the support or relief you need, it can feel downright depressing to never have enough time in the day no matter how hard you work or how organized you are. If most of your colleagues are feeling the same way, it’s likely indicative of poor leadership, a belief that work/ life balance is a mere myth and not something to strive for, or a widely held understanding that being a workaholic is the only way to get ahead in this organization. -These are just a few examples of why anyone can feel stretched too thin.
Any one of these things can make employees feel stressed out, underappreciated and just overall not excited about coming to work. If this sounds like what you’re experiencing, unfortunately, you’re not alone. According to Gallup Research, only 34 percent of Americans are actively engaged in their jobs.
What can you do if you’re unhappy working at an unhappy workplace?
Here’s what the experts say.
Take a step back to understand why you’re unhappy. Joe Mosca, an associate professor in the Leon Hess Business School at Monmouth University, specializing in human resources management and organizational behavior told hbr.org, “Because while it’s true that sometimes people just don’t match well with their jobs, employees tend to rationalize their job dissatisfaction rather than consider that they may be part of the problem. But if you are part of the problem, you may be part of the solution, too.” Before you decide that you’re calling it quits, make sure you understand why you’re unhappy. If you don’t get to the bottom of what’s driving your dissatisfaction, you’re likely to find yourself unhappy in your next role or the one after that. History can have an unfortunate way of repeating itself if you don’t understand your own feelings.
If you determine it is the demands of the job, your workplace, or boredom that’s associated with your current role, develop a plan. Catherine McCarthy, a clinical psychologist and COO of The Energy Project, an organizational consulting firm explained to hbr.org, “If you’re unhappy but can’t leave your job right now, tell yourself, ‘This is where I am, this is where I’m going to be for a certain amount of time.’ You have more control over how you think than you realize.” You might be surprised that a small shift in your perception of your situation could help you find a renewed sense of purpose in what you’re doing to make it just a little more manageable until you find something new.
Understand what you’re feeling, and don’t let it boil over at work. Find someone to talk to other than another stressed out colleague. Now would be the perfect time to check in with a mentor or former college to get a different perspective on what’s going on with you and your career.
We know it’s tough to be unhappy at work, and current circumstances in the world can exacerbate feelings of unhappiness. We get calls from people each day who feel stuck in all of these scenarios. While we aren’t able to help every person who’s unhappy in their role find a new one overnight, we are definitely here to help you try to make the best of where you’re at, and be a partner in helping you find something new.