Frustrated Employees Wonder, Should I Quit My Job?

Workplace frustrations are once again at an all-time high, leading many employees to consider the transition question, “Should I quit my job?” You’re not alone if quitting has crossed your mind. Engagement scores, a measure of involvement and enthusiasm at work, have declined steadily since the pandemic, according to a new report from Gallup. Quarantine conditions forced management to listen and adapt, as leaders adopted a new level of communication and understanding. But the current shift in return-to-office requirements has many employees resentful, frustrated and fickle. Today, 79% of workers want to leave their jobs (they are quietly or actively disengaged) and 57% of workers say “it’s a good time to find a new job”. Overall, low employee engagement costs the global economy $8.8 trillion, or 9% of global GDP. While you can’t solve that startling statistic, you can take steps to turn a bad situation into a new opportunity. Before you answer in the affirmative to the question, should I quit my job?, ponder these possibilities before you move on.

1. Everywhere You Go, There You Are: what’s really the source of your frustration? Did you just say a person’s name? It’s no secret: people leave people, not companies. But maybe what you’re feeling isn’t a personnel issue, it’s a personal one. The Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, has issued a stern warning about the hidden consequences of loneliness - a natural consequence of the social isolation imposed by the pandemic and now, by the hybrid work environment. While many are enraged and outraged by “return to work” policies (more on that in bullet #3), could it be that isolation is coloring your judgment around your current role? Business leaders need to recognize the challenges associated with loneliness - a condition that nearly 50% of us report. “Loneliness is more than just a bad feeling,” Murthy shares, “The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day.” Before you head for the door, take a look at your own headspace. Have you written down all of the reasons you want to leave? Have you considered under what terms or conditions you would stick around? Who would you need to be, in order to stay? You owe it to yourself to go through that exercise. Notice that if you need Tarik or Tissa to change into someone new, you are creating a tough situation for yourself. Because you can’t change other people - you can only change the way you respond to them. As the ancient Greek stoic, Marcus Aurelius, said, “You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control.” Focus on yourself, before you make a move.
2. Finding Flexibility - Here’s Where to Look: Flexibility is the key to retention. But before you quit, ask yourself: is the best solution to walk away, when the real issue might be a communication issue? Have you tried - really tried - to negotiate for what you want, instead of just taking what you think you can get? After all, if you haven’t asked for what you want, how can you expect it? Your boss can’t read your mind. Or your behavior. Non-verbal communication, for those with low EQ (emotional intelligence), is silent and invisible. No one can hear your eyes roll. Start with yourself, when it comes to making a change, and find your voice. What’s the shift that really needs to happen?
3. Non-Negotiables Make It Easier to Quit: are you frustrated by a recent edict that says you have to get back to the office? Maybe that rule requires a challenging commute. Or paying to park in downtown Seattle or some other painful sacrifice that doesn’t seem to impact your ability to get the job done. Many employees are more enraged than engaged, which is what can happen when top-down policies don’t take into consideration the way we work today. Meanwhile, if you don’t like the new office policy, you’re not alone. The Wall Street Journal reports that many workers are protesting the in-office requirements. Consider that Alphabet, Lyft, Meta and Salesforce have all reversed their positions on remote work policies. “Technology is where there’s been the starkest change from remote-friendly to not-so-remote friendly,” according to JLL research manager, Jacob Rowden. The hidden challenge that remains invisible to company leadership is: these back-to-the-office policies might cut companies off from the best people. Because the best people want options. If the work can get done at the kitchen table, why do you need to drive 83 minutes to do the same thing? If you’re a superstar, you have options - and where you work is not who you are. When policy is a punishment, morale suffers. If you are suffering under these conditions, maybe there’s a better opportunity elsewhere. Balance matters.
4. But Seriously: Why Are They Asking Me to Come Back Into the Office? Beyond personal health, Oxford University Researchers confirm that close friendships increase workplace productivity. Relationships rank first in terms of workplace quality and job satisfaction. Do business leaders today have an obligation to offer deeper social connection at work? Not really. But relationships drive retention. Human beings are pack animals - we work best when we are in groups. “People are meant to go through life two by two”, according to Thornton Wilder in Our Town. More recently, Swedish researchers confirm that we are not meant to live and work in isolation. But the C-Suite concerned with profit, not social science or American playwrights. Occupancy rates have stagnated to around 50% - and the rent is due, every month, whether the office is in use or not. For companies with a large investment in commercial real estate, it makes sense to leverage that investment. But at what expense?

The average worker is not in charge of fixing the commercial real estate crisis, or bumping up global GDP. ‘Should I quit my job?’ is a deeply personal question - not a global one. Finding the answer requires you to consider what you can change, and what you can’t, when it comes to your career.

If you’re wondering, should I quit my job?, notice that misplaced loyalty is a misstep. If you believe that winners never quit, you are mistaken. Winners quit all the time. They quit doing the things that don’t serve them. Winners also quit seeing themselves as victims, so they can reflect on new possibilities. Winners quit staying stuck.

Negotiate for what you want. Communicate and ask for what you’re not getting. Pull every lever, open every door, tackle the tough conversations. Before you quit, ask for what you want, and need. Get crystal-clear on your boundaries, before you go somewhere else to explore them. Can you find flexibility inside yourself, even if that’s not possible for your leadership team? Give yourself permission to say what needs to be said, and to do what needs to be done, in a way that’s tactful, respectful and clear. Consider finding a communications coach or a career coach who can help you to discuss your options, before you walk out the door. Quitting can be a solution, but it’s not the only one.