Deciding to leave a company is hard. Here are the red flags telling you that it's time to leave.
Only 21% of US employees are completely engaged in their work, according to a recent Achievers report, resulting in many workers deciding to leave their jobs. Along with feeling disconnected, employees ultimately quit their positions because of unequal opportunities, not being challenged, and a lack of recognition.
SEE: Interview tips: How to land your next tech job (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
However, finally deciding to quit takes courage, leaving many employees suffering at work they don't enjoy for longer than necessary.
"Every situation is different," said Lana Buchbinder, recruiting manager at Mondo. "[Quitting] will depend on the individual and how long they have been feeling unmotivated, unappreciated, or like they no longer fit with the company and/or team."
Employees must pay close attention to their grievances at work and take action on them sooner than later when possible. More than half of tech employees (52%) said they believe their workplaces are toxic, said a Blind report. This dissatisfaction with a workplace can result in mental health issues for employees.
The warning signs
Here are the three clues indicating it's time for an employee to leave their job position.
1. Feeling complacent
Complacency and feeling a lack of growth at work are big red flags, said Buchbinder.
"You're coming in and only going through the motions," Buchbinder said. "Nothing is challenging and you find yourself bored more than once throughout the day. Finding a new position will bring back the excitement and allow you to learn and further develop your skill set."
2. Under-compensated and undervalued
"Signs of this could be becoming disinterested in the subject of work or not receiving recognition for work completed," Buchbinder said. "[This] also can occur when you have more work added to your current workload, but don't receive any additional compensation."
Employees need to be affirmed at work, that way they know what they are doing well at, and what they need to improve on.
3. Problems with work culture
A healthy company culture—and good culture fit—is crucial to employee satisfaction, according to a recent Workwise report. If an employee no longer meshes with culture, chances are they will leave.
"Things change and you may find your values and personalities no longer align with the company culture," said Buchbinder. "Or [you may] find you don't fit in with your team after the company undergoes a leadership change, experiences turnover, or evolves from where it started when you were first hired."
Before you leave
There are definitely steps to take before deciding to leave any job, Buchbinder said, as most people would consider quitting a last resort.
Communicating with a manager or advisor about their feelings should be the first step for employees. "It could be the result of a lack of self-awareness on the management team's part and an easy fix to keep you happy in your role," Buchbinder said.
"Bring any ideas, changes or improvements to them," she added. "If you are feeling like there are no growth or learning opportunities, see if there is a continued learning course your employer would sponsor that you can take out of the office. A lot of companies provide the opportunity to take part in these courses to increase your knowledge, and if your company doesn't, you can suggest it. If you're feeling under-compensated, bring it up with your manager. The only way they know you are looking for more is if you let them know."
If communication doesn't fix the problem, then it may be time for the employee to move on to another opportunity.
For more, check out These 20 tech unicorns have the best company cultures on TechRepublic.
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