There’s always been a debate about the right amount of time for staying in a job.
Should you move yearly, never move, move every five years? And now, especially with the uncertainty of Brexit, people are even more tentative about changing employers or careers.
With all of these reasons in mind, it’s bound to happen that the majority of us, at some point in our lives, will be in a job that we may not necessarily be enjoying as much as we use to. So, how can this issue be solved? You may only be there for a week longer, or maybe a month, or you may end up learning to love your job again, but here are few pointers that could help during the difficult period.
Open communication
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Whether that is with yourself or with another member of your team. You need to be open and honest, especially with yourself, about what is missing from your job, or whether it’s something outside of work that is having an effect.
Treat your working life like you would a relationship. Your job requires you to take care of it and pay attention otherwise it can become stagnant. The key word here is YOU.
You are in charge of your attitude. Try and communicate positively and there is a high chance you will receive the same treatment in return making your workplace much more enjoyable.
Good communication can also lead to changes such as flexible working. Having this skill gains employers trust that you can work effectively at all times. Being able to change your working pattern can have an enormous impact on your view towards your job.
Learning from others
Inspiration is all around us, especially in the form of people.
You’re never too old to ask for a mentor. Talking to someone who can tackle a situation from a different angle is always refreshing. Take the time to explain the issues with your current job to a mentor and ask for their input. Of course, you don’t have to action what your mentor says but food for thought can never harm anyone.
Alternatively, why don’t you become a mentor? They are many schemes that are asking for volunteers. Talking to someone that may be relatively new to the sector could reignite your passion for your job as you share your own experiences and advice.
There are amazing, motivating individuals out there that you can exchange knowledge with – don’t be shy about finding them!
Challenge yourself
Humans by nature love to be challenged. The sense of accomplishment of working through a problem is very rewarding for most people and this is no different when it comes to your job. If you haven’t been challenged, see if you can change your remit slightly to include new aspects where you can learn new skills. If that’s not possible, see what is available outside of the office such as training for a 10k.
By creating challenges, it can lead you to feel passionate again, and sometimes we forget that a job can be a passion. Your job can be your life’s work (very literally) so it is crucial to find ways to continually advance your skills, your understanding and your unique POV to ensure that you’re feeling fulfilled each day you show up.
Things are always easier said than done, but nine times out of ten there will be something that can be changed to help you in this tricky period. You spend most of your week at work so it’s incredibly important to feel as good as possible in your working environment even if you know it’s not forever.
About the author
Kate Thrumble heads up the Talent (HR) team at Momentum UK. She is responsible for the full employee life cycle from attraction, retention and exit.
Kate joined Momentum Worldwide as a recruitment manager in 2013 and quickly moved into more generalist HR role to help shape and re-think the employee journey at the agency.
Working closely with Momentum Worldwide, Kate partnered on a number of global projects leading to greater cohesion and development of standards across many of the offices in terms of its people practices.
Prior to joining Momentum, Kate worked in house at Burberry and Hearst Magazines.
