Why You Should Leave Your Job in 2024
If we’re honest with ourselves, in corporate, you’re really just a number.
If you’re gainfully employed, I am sure that you have known a person who has been in the same job position for as long as you can remember. They are not trying to get promoted, they are not trying to climb the corporate ladder; they’re simply doing their daily tasks and going back home.
Have you ever thought to yourself that they’re stuck in an infinite loop?
I know that I did.
The thought of having to wake up every day, commute for one or two hours depending on traffic, go to the same place, know the same people, have a capped salary that barely meets the economy’s inflation no matter how great my performance is, and spend my young years glued to a desk until I retire has always scared me.
This fear is prevalent amongst Gen Z; thousands of other young professionals on social media are sharing the same concern.
I started asking millennials around me, “How do you feel fulfilled in an environment like this?” They mostly answered: “Through the completion of projects & the satisfaction of getting promoted. You also have to make a mark by being a top performer.”
But… Is being a top performer really worth it in this day and age?
What does it take to be a top performer? :
- Work beyond your scope to stand out.
- Go the extra mile.
- Work long hours to beat deadlines.
- Make it work with difficult stakeholders.
- Make waves through your accomplishments.
- Get acquainted with leadership so that they know who you are.
- Have a supportive manager who can support you and advocate for you.
- Possibly have no work-life balance.
Of course, being a top performer is appealing, it gives you a status, a reputation, and the probability of getting promoted faster. But is it worth all of the above?
If reputation and status within the company are what fulfills you, then by all means, go ahead and stand out. To many youngsters, a mere 4% yearly salary increase, with even maybe a bonus if lucky is not enough of an incentive, because it does not even beat inflation.
Of course, some industries strongly reward their employees for being top performers, but I am not putting everyone in the same basket. Nonetheless, for the vast majority, it looks like high effort with low ROI.
In corporate life, you are never guaranteed a promotion. Indeed, your performance should logically determine the course of your professional journey, but it takes way more than that. Getting promoted depends on who you know and whether they like you. Your network is either going to make you or break you. You need to master the art of dealing with people from all walks of life, even difficult stakeholders.
It goes without saying that if your manager does not want to get you promoted, the odds are against you. There is even the possibility of them seeing you as a threat, they might not want you to outshine them; if that is the case, not only are you not going to climb that corporate ladder, but you will have to operate in a toxic work environment.
This is the game of the 9 to 5.
In addition to that, companies see their employees as numbers.
I don’t know if you’ve had a finance class before, but they first teach you that every company’s objective is to maximize shareholder’s wealth.
There is no denying that today, customers and investors care about whether the company they’re doing business with aligns with their values. Of course, companies will do their best to drive their ESG (Environment Social, and Government) index scores through the roof and keep up with the current demands of customers and society. But at the end of the day, the ultimate goal behind it all is to increase shareholder value.
That is why, it does not come as a surprise that everybody is currently witnessing layoffs everyday. Corporations are doing their best to boost their profits and please shareholders. Even if it comes at the cost of their employees’ sole source of income. Layoffs are so normalized today, that news outlets like CNBC have a “Layoffs” section on their website. How could Gen Z still expect to have the same stability and safety that their parents did?
The youngest generation is aware of how companies see them, and they’re adapting. The concept is simple: “If I am just a number, then you’re just a source of income helping me accomplish other life goals.”
That is why we’re increasingly seeing headlines such as:
“Gen Zs Are Quitting In Droves: 6 Best Ways To Retain Them” — Forbes
“Quit While You’re Ahead: Experts Debate Why Gen Z Leaves Jobs Quickly and More Often” — Katie Couric Media
Ask yourself: What is the company doing for me to keep me there?
Find here some pointers:
- Are you still learning from your job?
- Do you feel that you have plateaued?
- Do you feel your efforts are being fairly rewarded by your company?
- If you could, would you stay with your current company until retirement?
- Do you go to your job excited or dreading it?
- Is your manager supporting you?
- Are your colleagues helpful or are they gatekeepers?
- Are there opportunities to climb the corporate ladder?
- If you’re happy where you are, do you feel fulfilled?
Your job does not define you. Do not settle for less than what you deserve. There are plenty of opportunities out there. Your job serves as a tool to help you pay for your needs. If you feel unhappy, take a different direction. Today, there are plenty of ways to have multiple sources of income. You do not need to feel stuck. It’s all in your mind.
