5 reasons to quit your job
Through our text line, one of the most common questions is: Should I quit my job? If you’re feeling unsure on whether or not you should quit your job, you aren’t alone. Many people are overwhelmed with this common job decision, because it impacts so many aspects of a person’s livelihood—relationships, confidence, career paths, finances, location, etc.
The pressures, challenges, and emotions around quitting can drive an urgent decision to leave a job, which is completely valid. Before you make that decision, ask yourself: Am I aiming for a better opportunity, or am I running away from something? Both answers can impact your decision, but keeping the mindset of moving towards something usually leads to better places to land.
In any scenario, making an exit strategy before you quit can be important—have a job lined up, save enough money to live off of, and use your current role as an opportunity to grow your resume and career.
People leave their jobs for many reasons; here are five common reasons we see on our text line that people quit:
Burnout
There are many causes and symptoms for burnout at work. Being overworked, lack of support from coworkers or your boss, an imbalance of your work and home life, or a heavy workload can all be contributing factors to burnout. There are also consequential effects to burnout at work such as fatigue, lack of motivation, or excessive stress.
As one Empower Work help seeker shared:
“I think I've been burned out since last year but I've just been tolerating everything because you know you have to make money to make a living to live a life I guess so maybe I am reaching my breaking point.”
As this help seeker shared, burnout can cause you to feel like you’re at your breaking point, and like the only way out is to quit. If you’re feeling burned out at work, that may be a good sign that it’s time to move on.
2. Toxic work environment
Toxic work environments can mean a lot of things—a terrible boss who targets you, coworkers who isolate or undermine you, feeling harassed or discriminated against, or being bullied. Having to work in a toxic environment every day can take a toll on your mental well-being.
As one Empower Work help seeker shared:
“I am a teacher experiencing bullying, harassment, and threats of violence at work by another teacher.”
Everyone deserves to be in a workplace where they’re valued and supported. If you are experiencing an unsupportive, unsafe, or extremely negative work situation, it’s completely reasonable that you’d want to create an exit strategy for yourself and to find a next job that’s more supportive and empowering.
3. Low pay
Maybe you feel like you’re putting in more effort than you’re being compensated for, you’re struggling to pay your bills, other companies pay higher for your same role, or you feel like you’re undervalued. A lot of times, people leave their jobs because they’re looking for a job with a higher salary.
As one Empower Work help seeker shared:
“I feel trapped with low compensation in a job that drains me.”
Of course, if you like your job and the only reason you want to leave is the low salary, talking to your boss about a raise is a strong option. If there is no room for negotiation and you find yourself still feeling undervalued, finding a role that better meets your salary expectations is a very normal transition.
4. Needing a change
Feeling bored, uninspired, unsatisfied, or unhappy at work is a common reason people quit. Sometimes, people just outgrow their role or their company. It’s normal to feel this way. People who need a change usually either want to completely change their career path, or they feel like they’ve outgrown their time at their company and want to switch to a different company in the same industry. It’s also common that people outgrow their companies or managers because of conflicting values or there is a lack of growth opportunities.
As one Empower Work help seeker shared:
“If I loved the work, I would tough it out. But, I don't. My heart is not in it. I am not challenged and am actually really bored!”
If you’re feeling bored or like your current job is holding you back from a better opportunity, it may be time to quit and strive for something that fulfills your workplace expectations.
5. Issues with a manager
Sometimes, the management style may not necessarily be bad, but it may conflict with your own personal working style or growth. It’s important in any workplace to learn to work with people with diverse ideas and working styles, but if the differences affect your relationship with your manager, this may cause you to feel undervalued, stressed, micromanaged, or unsupported. In this case, you may find yourself seeking a better management relationship at another job.
As one Empower Work help seeker shared:
“I think it is only fair to also leave with dignity. Maybe it's just time… I have outgrown my relationship with my boss too.”
Finding your next step
Remember, quitting your job doesn’t have to be your first solution. Other options like talking to your boss or HR, asking for a raise or promotion, fighting the burnout by changing structures, getting creative in finding new challenges at work, coordinating with coworkers for internal changes, and more can all be routes for change.
If you feel like you’ve tried everything and like you have nothing left to give to your job, it may be time to create an exit strategy. And especially if you’re feeling that sense of rage quit - we understand.
It’s a big decision. If you need support while making it or crafting an exit plan, our peer counselors are just a text away at 510-674-1414.
*Note: Empower Work provides non-legal support for workplace challenges. This information, while authoritative, is not legal advice or guaranteed for legality. Employment laws and regulations vary by state. We recommend consulting with state resources for specific interpretation and decisions. If you believe you were discriminated against in violation of the law, we recommend you seek legal advice.
