Job Dissatisfaction: Why Are People Becoming Unhappy and Quitting Their Jobs?

People are quitting their jobs due to reasons such as being underpaid, feeling undervalued, and the work culture not being a good fit.

In most cases, the reasons why employees leave their jobs are under the employer's control. This is because the employer has an impact on every aspect of the current workplace, including its culture, atmosphere, the employee's view of their job, and further opportunities.

In this article, we’ll be listing a few of the most common reasons why people quit their jobs.


Feeling Undervalued

Many employees are not satisfied with their treatment, and most want to change jobs within a year. But what are the major causes of this dissatisfaction?

Some say their wage is a major issue, and some don't feel valued. To combat this, make sure your staff is acknowledged for the work they accomplish and recognized for their values and responsibilities outside of work.

Bad Bosses

A good manager isn't always a highly-skilled, clever, and productive employee. You must devote time, money, and resources to training and highlighting the important role that your leaders perform.

Ineffective Communication

Less than half of all employees are satisfied with the information they receive from management, and 32 percent say three months go by before their managers give them feedback. Assess how people can provide and receive this information, because communication is a two-way process.

Their Efforts Go Unnoticed

Several employees believe they are not sufficiently recognized at work, whereas routinely recognized employees are content with their current position. The most effective type of recognition is SMART:

  • Specific: Make a connection to a company value or behavior you'd like to see more of.
  • Meaningful: Keep track of who gives and receives recognition inside the organization, and always make it meaningful.
  • Authentic: Always mean what you say. The way you give feedback is just as important as the feedback you give.
  • Regular: Being acknowledged eight times a year has the most impact on employees.
  • Timely: Provide in-the-moment recognition. It has the biggest impact on reinforcing positive behavior.

No Opportunity for a Promotion

Some employees believe they were passed over for a promotion. While employees should never ask for one, don't rely on providing more money. Support and train them so that they can advance with the necessary skills.

Lack of Training

As with the previous point, a lack of training leads to stagnation. If you reduce your training budget, your organization will become less productive and less efficient. Therefore, it is ideal to give employees an opportunity to join online bootcamps or even obtain an online degree. Ultimately, it will add to their skillset and do good for your business.

No Career Growth

People like to reach their goals through a journey rather than going directly to the top or remaining in their current position. 40 percent of employees are dissatisfied with promotion chances, and 22 percent of those who don't have an opportunity for growth in their current job will look elsewhere.

Too Large of a Workload

With employees being dissatisfied with their work/life balance and wishing to work fewer hours, it isn’t surprising that job responsibilities outside of office hours are a major reason for some employees to leave, since they can lead to burnout.

Always check in with your employees to assist them in achieving their objectives and keeping their to-do lists to a minimum.

Lack of Trust or Autonomy

For almost every employee, the most valued traits at work are trust, honesty, and fairness. According to 80 percent of respondents, a lack of trust is enough to drive them away.

Unaware of Your Mission

According to 68 percent of employees, businesses aren’t doing enough to establish a feeling of purpose. There should be something broader to which everyone contributes.

When new employees join, make sure they understand what your firm stands for and what part they play in achieving the team's goal.


Final Thoughts

As a manager, it is important to know why people quit their jobs. By working on the reasons mentioned above, retaining high performers will become much easier.

There are a variety of reasons someone might wish to leave their job. A company that is aware of them can work on it. Talk to your staff regularly, and consider sending out satisfaction questionnaires to gauge their attitudes and perspectives.

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