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If you're wondering how you can make your employees happier at work, this is one of the best business articles to read. Schwartz and Porath dive deep into what motivates people—and what pushes them away.
Or if you're one of those 9-to-5 employees who hate your job but can't quit it because what's actually driving most of us in the workplace right now is loneliness, feeling like an outcast, or just wanting someone better? I'm here to help! Read on for five reasons why quitting your office job is important. But first, let me share some advice from my own experience. My life as a CEO has been interesting, intense, emotional, and exhausting at times, but it does have its perks. After building and selling businesses online in 20+ years of business, I've learned a lot about the human psyche in the workplace that other professionals often forget to mention. How are we making our people feel when they do their jobs? What drives workers? Is there anything we can do to create better working environments for everyone? Here are five reasons why quitting your job can be good for your career.
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#1 There Are The Best People On Our Team
You work for amazing people. They love and support each other, know how to get shit done, and they put their team first every day. In order to become great leaders, you need your team members. If you want to go far, surround yourself with smart, kind, passionate people — and then find ways to cultivate these relationships. That doesn't mean you'll always choose a person over another; sometimes your needs can be matched to theirs. It also means being intentional about cultivating your relationships. When employees see that you genuinely care, their trust goes up. This makes the workplace environment more stable and easier to navigate through tough situations (and bad ones). You could think about it as having a safety net for your employees' mental health every single day, so if you can keep your doors open for others and show you understand them and treat them well, they'll be happy and satisfied in their jobs. If they don't feel supported, they won't want to come back to work.
#2 It Improves Communication Skills
If nothing else, people should be able to communicate effectively. No matter what industry you work in, communication skills are paramount. Some workplaces aren't going to be very friendly, which is not okay, but it's inevitable. Everyone wants to understand what's happening around them, even if it's only 1% comprehending (so there's no big deal). Sometimes you don't have control over the situation, and someone comes along, sees what you already know, hears it for the first time, and says 'woah'. Communication skills are essential to navigating tricky situations even though they're hard to learn. So how can you improve them? Well... you could start by taking feedback seriously. Employees are frustrated in different ways (maybe you haven't heard something for days) and their opinions might seem pointless or irrelevant to you (but maybe you need to hear this? You're busy!). Be aware of any negative feedback you receive (it will give you another way to learn and grow!). If you listen the entire time, you'll find out more than you expected. Take charge of your experiences as much as possible. For example, instead of telling your boss that you don't feel comfortable returning to work after hours, try setting up a virtual meeting where you can get together over coffee to discuss what worked for you in the past. It shows you take the role seriously (no offense to anyone), but it's also lets them know you care, which leads to better responses. Also remember to thank your colleagues, especially if you're giving them credit for their efforts (for extra points, don't forget to check off all their achievements!). Try keeping track of your feedback to improve your ability to give constructive criticism.
#3 Self-Compassion Will Help Reduce Stress
We all look to others to feel safe in our careers, especially for introverts like myself. We thrive on knowing that we'll not experience anxiety or nervousness from coworkers. However, we still can feel uncomfortable just thinking about leaving work (especially if we work in tech). If you're lucky enough to have supportive friends and family, they might encourage you to leave your corporate job. Otherwise, they can hold you back if you don't tell them (or they will try to convince you they can't convince you in public). The best thing to do is talk to them honestly about what you're feeling. Remember that you have to work in someone else's shoes for them to love that person. Talk about how hard it's been living with certain things (such as low pay or not having a sense of security). Ask questions about their side of the story (like how they deal with stress, etc.). Then, when you're ready, explain how you can help! While you're doing so, don't criticize them (this only creates resentment or a worse atmosphere and could lead to burnout). Instead, focus on solutions that work for both parties (e.g., helping out of the comfort zone rather than avoiding it at all costs). If you start getting angry, you'll never resolve anything. Learn how to maintain calm and talk through emotions you're feeling. Don't wait until you're down in the dumps; just know you need to. Once you can put on a face for whatever stressful issue you're experiencing (anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc.), you'll find that your mental state improves dramatically. Eventually, your self-compassion will rub off on everyone around you and will motivate you to act professionally.
#4 Working With Someone Can Improve Their Credibility
If you've ever sat down with a coworker and felt relaxed talking to them, chances are they had a great interview for you, liked you, and wanted an employer who cared about their growth and development. Being trustworthy is one of the greatest traits you can build, and it can be difficult to get around people who aren't willing to help you succeed. Therefore, the first step on this journey is to ask others what they thought of your performance. Ask them whether they thought you were competent and/or competent. Do you get a positive vibe from people on your team or outside if you show up late for meetings, can't manage conflict, and make an unreasonable amount of noise? These signs aren't all that surprising—it happens all the time. However, hearing someone say, “I think she was really great today" will completely change how you perceive her and how she thinks of herself. Now that she knows you value her opinion, she'll also see the same thing in others, leading to more opportunities for collaboration. She'll respect your opinion more if she feels connected to you as a leader (see #3), and other employees will see that and respect that employee because they too see themselves in them. Thus, you can expect better results! To achieve this, you need to ask for help and be persistent when asking for help, no matter the status of those requests.
#5 An Invitation From Management Won't Make Anyone Happy
There is a difference between seeing a coworker do an annoying task correctly without supervision and having management constantly telling you that they love you. I'm not saying managers have to be cruel to employees, and there are instances where employees may disagree with such statements, but more importantly, they must be sincere. Managers shouldn't praise you for work you did yesterday and say "I love you," when it means absolutely nothing to you. They shouldn't be encouraging your achievements, either - everyone has limits and everyone needs guidance. At least once or twice a week, you may have the chance to speak directly with HR about your concerns. Most executives will admit that you shouldn't feel singled out because of your age (older adults still require a lot of support and treatment!), gender (most female millennials don't need mentorship), race (many young black Americans lack confidence around white male bosses), religion (most Muslim American Muslims do not want to work close with White people), country of origin (more conservative cultures like China and Europe usually prefer their own internal culture), and disability (you can look for hiring opportunities for disabled candidates at places like Amazon and Google). By focusing on what you feel is missing instead of pointing fingers, you'll attract attention to what matters most to you and provide a way to connect to your manager.
#6 It Allows Them To Develop More Leadership Traits Over Time
Leadership traits are contagious! Even small gestures can add up over time. Say you ask your co-worker 'Are y'all married?' As long as the answer is yes, it means that you respect each other and that you have respect for your coworkers. Small gestures like that eventually translate into bigger ones like offering help when they need it and treating them well. Soon, your coworkers will notice the impact your small gesture has had and it will positively affect their lives in other areas, such as their work relationships. Imagine starting that project with a group of 25 peers you didn't even work closely with before - would you be surprised to hear how many projects they started or finished? Would you like to share that list of high-impact experiences? Of course. And wouldn't you be thrilled to have someone else who is willing to bring their expertise to a team like yours? Not sure how that works? Use that opportunity to learn more about leadership traits and develop ones unique to your type of company. You don't have to wait until retirement to become president. Let