“I hate my job” is a sentiment expressed many times to recruiters. Above all, it’s one of the primary reasons people seek a new job or career. It’s closely followed by “I hate my boss, ” which is often a story on its own. In this article, you will learn how many people hate their jobs and why, and what you can do about it.

Is there anything worse than dreading going to work? We spend a considerable chunk of our life working, so isn’t it better if we enjoy what we do? Instead of saying, “I hate my job and want to quit“, suppose you couldn’t wait to get to work, you love what you do, the workplace culture is relaxed, and your co-workers are fun and engaging. Is it an unrealistic expectation that we might enjoy working, and should you ever put up with an intolerable work environment?

The answers to some of these questions depend on your workplace situation. You might think working from home is the solution, but research shows that even remote workers can loathe their job. The overriding question is why? Why do you dread going to work each morning, and do you know what to do when you hate your job? If you have no idea where to turn for help, read on.

Contents

• The Statistics for Unhappy Employees
• I Hate My Job: What Really Matters to Employees?
  • Why Does Uncertainty Raise Stress Levels?
  • Does it Matter if Employees are Unhappy?
• Seven Reasons Why People Hate Their Jobs
  • #1 Lack of Job Security
  • #2 Micromanagement
  • #3 Poor Compensation
  • #4 Feeling Unappreciated
  • #5 No Opportunities for Career Development
  • #6 Misaligned Values
  • #7 Toxic Work Environment
• Conclusion: I Hate My Job: Advice for Coping at Work
• FAQ
  • I hate my job, but it pays well. What should I do?
  • I hate my new job but can’t return to my former employer. Help!

The Statistics for Unhappy Employees

Gallup recently released The State of the Global Workplace 2022 report, which documented high levels of unhappiness and disengagement in the workplace. The report said that 60% of employees felt emotionally detached at work, and a staggering 19% said they felt miserable.

Unhappy employees impact a company’s bottom line. Indeed, the report showed that organisations with engaged employees have 23% more profit. Disengaged employees result in lost productivity, causing the global economy $7.8 trillion.

In addition, 50% of people in the United States said they feel stressed at work daily. Moreover, 41% felt worried, and 18% of workers felt angry. None of these emotions are conduicive to a productive workplace.

Does working from home help? Surprisingly not. Indeed, remote workers report feeling more stressed and less engaged with work. Isn’t that strange? People are still unhappy despite a shorter working week and an improved work-life balance. What’s going on?

This guide explores why people are unhappy at work, and we present solutions that could make your working life more pleasant or at least help you find clarity in your situation. In addition, we will show you what to do when you hate your job and you can’t quit.

I Hate My Job: What Really Matters to Employees?

There are two core reasons for employee dissatisfaction, and that’s unfair treatment and uncertainty.

Toxic workplace culture can negatively affect remote workers almost as much as employees in the workplace. Be that poor management, unfair corporate policies, lack of communication, biased or bullying co-workers. It’s impossible to avoid. In addition, overloading employees with too much work eventually leads to burnout.

Remote workers often struggle because management constantly monitors their work output or hosts too many daily meetings. Perhaps the reason for micromanagement is a manager’s perceived lack of control with employees based at home.

One of the primary causes of workplace stress is uncertainty in the workplace. To a degree, a level of uncertainty is inevitable, but savvy companies can take steps to minimise the effect on employees.

Why Does Uncertainty Raise Stress Levels?

The brain loathes uncertainty because it is still evolutionarily wired to survive. We need to know what’s happening next to feel safe and in control, and that’s practically impossible in many organisations. However, reducing the uncertainty within the inevitable organisational restraints is possible.

If employees feel unsure of goals, targets, value to the organisation, job security, a manager’s mood, or any other reason, they will consistently underperform. Eventually, it takes a toll on mental health, which can lead to stress-related absences. When a company reverse engineers these issues, employees naturally feel happier and become more engaged and productive.

In summary, a workplace culture that keeps employees in the loop will do much better than a company that hides essential information from its workers.

Does it Matter if Employees are Unhappy?

Shouldn’t they just get on with their job? Well, if employees say, “I hate my job” or “I hate my boss“, do you think that will end well?

Expecting miserable employees to work at peak performance is unrealistic and, quite frankly, naïve. Just because an organisation pays people to be at work doesn’t mean mistreatment is acceptable.

Moreover, the 2022 Global Workplace report revealed that team leaders or managers were the primary “cause” of 70% of the variance in team member engagement. Our guide to “leader vs boss” discusses this subject in more detail. You might find the subject helpful if you are a manager that wants to understand how to better manage people.

A disrespectful manager that micromanages employees undoubtedly adds to disengagement and decreased retention rates. To get the most from employees, a workplace needs better leaders, effective communicators and people builders that encourage employee trust and, as a result, increase engagement. Employees given autonomy and responsibility for their work will outperform employees that feel distrusted and overly managed.

In the next section, we look at the main reasons why people hate their jobs and we’ve added a few positive tips for what to do when you feel like quitting.

Seven Reasons Why People Hate Their Jobs

#1 Lack of Job Security

If you are worried about losing your job, the stress will prevent you from engaging with and enjoying your work. Though it may be the last thing you want to do, arrange a meeting with your manager, HR department or team leader and ask for reassurance. It is better to find out if the company or your job is unstable because, if it is, you can take action to find another job instead of worrying about your current position.

If your job is at risk, arrange an appointment with the CB Recruitment team to discuss your options.

#2 Micromanagement

Though organisations need rules and guidelines, employees intensely dislike micromanagers. Leaders and managers who encourage autonomy and allow employees to get on with their job have much better retention rates and happier employees. In addition, employees feel trusted and respected to do their job.

If you are in a situation where you feel micromanaged, seek out support in the company or have that tough conversation with your manager. If the meeting fails to instigate positive changes, you may have no option but to look for a new job. It can be tough to break the habit of micromanaging behaviour.

#3 Poor Compensation

John complained to his manager that he couldn’t pay his bills and needed a pay increase. His manager retorted that the company could easily find someone else to do John’s job for the same pay. Sadly, this attitude is not an uncommon response.

If you are doing your best at your job or taking on extra workloads, asking for a pay rise isn’t unreasonable. The ideal situation is to work for a company with complete pay transparency. If the budget doesn’t allow for an increase and you aren’t happy or cannot manage your bills with your salary, gain additional skills to apply for a promotion or find a company that can pay you more.

#4 Feeling Unappreciated

All employees need to feel appreciated. Moreover, it doesn’t take much to increase employee engagement. Regular staff appraisals can be an effective way to keep employee morale buoyant. Tell employees exactly what you like about their work or attitude. For example, “Bob, we loved the idea for the new product line. It was innovative, and we’re grateful for the positive approach to your work.”

Talk to someone in the company if you’re feeling unappreciated instead of unhappily resenting the lack of recognition, but doing nothing to change the situation. See if you can become the person that creates disruptive change in the workplace culture and help everyone that works for the organisation.

#5 No Opportunities for Career Development

If you’re ambitious, you want to advance your career with an organisation. Many companies have a hire-from-within policy, but if they don’t, you may quickly become resentful and frustrated doing the same job. We thrive on overcoming challenges, without which we can become bored and disatisfied.

During job interviews, always clarify the scope for career progression. It can save a lot of heartache later.

#6 Misaligned Values

Often, organisations assume employees are motivated by money, and that money is the value. That isn’t always the case. Money is a motivator for many, but not all. Still, some employees values are more centred around connecting to a purpose, to have a deeper meaning in their work. Other employees crave more responsibility or recognition for their contributions. Before assuming employee values and what makes an employee happy, ask the question, and get clarification.

If there is incongruence with your values and the company values, you may end up hating your job. For example, suppose environmental issues are important to you and your employer wastes resources and does not address green issues. This mismatch of values is unlikely to give you job satisfaction. You cannot be passionate and happy about a project that goes against your highest values.

#7 Toxic Work Environment

A toxic work environment can range from a bad manager to a bullying colleague or overworked or unappreciated employees. an unhealthy workplace can lead to job hopping, leading to lower engagement and retention rates.

It’s tricky to describe a healthy work environment because it may look different for everyone. Still, at the least, you can expect the following from a company that takes workplace culture seriously:

• Prioritises employee well-being
• Policies endorse trust, respect, support, and empathy
• No bullying: or if it exists, it is instantly addressed
• Good top-down leadership
• Respects work-life balance
• Transparency
• Growth mindset: Employees are encouraged to stretch to new horizons
• Rewards excellence

Organisations are gradually beginning to understand the importance of employee well-being. Still, change is slow. Some organisations resist acting upon the research statistics and results of unhappy employees.

If you work in a toxic environment, before handing in your resignation, be the change you want to see. Encourage respect, honesty and trust with co-workers and management. It’s challenging, but others may respond to your efforts and start working with you to create positive change in the workplace.

Conclusion: I Hate My Job: Advice for Coping at Work

Would anybody work if they didn’t have to do so? Is it normal to loathe your job? Sadly, it seems it is more the norm than people who love their job. However, employees are becoming more proactive in not accepting intolerable situations in the work environment.

Before you say, “I hate my job and want to quit“, think carefully about your options. The demand for top talent is increasing exponentially in the blockchain space, and opportunities are abundant.

Did you know that most jobs in the “real world” can transfer to Web3? If you have transferable skills, for instance, marketing, business consulting or social media marketing, you could find a new rewarding career. You might find it helpful to read the entry-level cryptocurrency jobs with no experience blog post. In addition, there is an exceptionally high demand for blockchain developers.

However, before you rush to quit your job, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and it’s not uncommon to experience periods of feeling unsettled at work. Before quitting the job you think you hate, identify what it is that’s causing you to feel this way. Is there anything that you could change? For example, suppose you have a personality clash with a manager or team member. Is it possible to get a transfer to another team or department? If you are bored at work, is there scope for career advancement?

Weigh up your options before resigning. Getting a new job is easier if you are employed, so stick with your current position until you find a better role. If you need help figuring out your options, talk to the CB Recruitment team and upload your resume.

FAQ

I hate my job, but it pays well. What should I do?

Firstly, figure out what about your job you hate. Is there anything you could do to change the situation? Is there a supportive manager or HR support? Secondly, if the situation is unresolvable, do the best work possible but start looking for another job. It might help to gain additional skills and qualifications to add to your value as an employee.

I hate my new job but can’t return to my former employer. Help!

Don’t panic. Sometimes the uncertainty of change can make you feel unsettled. Were you onboarded efficiently into the new company? Did you have sufficient training, and is there a contact in the company for ongoing support?

Allow yourself to settle into the new role before making an impulsive decision, and list the pros and cons. After that, if you still feel unhappy, there’s no harm in contacting your previous company to test the waters. However, you left for a reason. Sometimes the grass isn’t greener on the other side, but returning to the past resolves nothing.