While you can definitely learn from a dumb boss, FMGirl brings up a good point in her comment on the last post – sometimes you just have to cut your losses.
So why do people quit their jobs? Conventional wisdom would say that you don’t quit your job unless you’ve already got one lined up that’s better (read: pays more). And in an environment like the one we’re in today, some people are more likely to stay put even if they’re not happy. So why DO people quit their jobs?
Recent research gives us some different answers, but is pretty unanimous about it not being related to pay. A survey of 1,600 Canadians showed that a lack of trust in senior leaders is the main reason people leave. An earlier survey says the number one reason people quit is being asked to do something unethical. Research by Gallup shows the number one reason is for career advancement or promotional opportunities. I think the key takeaway is that “At least 75% of the reasons for voluntary turnover can be influenced by managers.”
The first survey highlights a disconnect between why workers quit and why their managers think they quit. Managers think people quit because of pay, an unexpected job offer or a decision to change careers. Interestingly, what those reasons have in common is that they are out of the manager’s control (except maybe pay).
So managers think employees leave for reasons they (the managers) personally have no influence over.
And in reality, most employees are actually leaving the manager, not the job.
Why the disconnect? Perhaps like a marriage, all relationships (and the employee-employer relationship is one of the most important, if you factor in the amount of time most spend together), trust and communication is key.
It makes sense why people quit. If you couldn’t trust your significant other, and you couldn’t communicate honestly with him or her, you’d leave (or at least your friends would be telling you to leave). It’s the same with a boss.
If you’re unhappy with your boss, can’t communicate and don’t trust them, start putting the wheels in motion to make a move. Likely it’ll take you at least six months to actually quit, so start thinking about your next move now.
What’s made you quit your job in the past? What is it about your current job that’s most likely to make you quit this one?
I think I've quit every job for a different reason, but the only time that a manager couldn't have influenced the decision was when I went to business school.
ReplyDeleteI've never left a job because of the work. Often (but not always) it has been because of a manager or some less tangible aspect of the company. So I agree with the takeaway that it has to be at least 75% influenceable, if that's a word.
As someone who has just found a new job and will be starting it shortly, I think I've done all the due diligence I can. I have a good sense of the work I'll be doing, and the types of people I'll be doing it with. And I expect it to be good. But still, so much of my day to day will depend on the individual personalities I'm in contact with, and that's impossible to plan for.
So how can jobseekers look at companies and get the fullest picture from the outside? Makes me almost wish for a networking/ratings site for managers - ratemyboss.com? Plug someone in, see how they're reviewed, kind of like ratemyprofessor.com Probably impractical, obviously very open to bias, etc, but this element of companies does seem like a huge black box.