Escape a Bad Work Environment
June 6th 2008 13:44
My previous employer was terrible. Don’t get me wrong, the pay and benefits were excellent – the Golden Handcuffs, we called them – but the environment was miserable. Most people stayed because they didn’t want to move and they couldn’t afford to live anywhere in that region for less money.
I left. About six months ago I found a better reality. My pay is the same but I moved to a less expensive part of the country. That’s good for me. I’m healthier now, too. I was constantly stressed at my previous job and it wasn’t doing me any good. For me, it was a decision as much about my health as it was about my sanity.
My leadership at my previous employer were not effective as managers. It was a very negative culture. Praise was rarely doled out, unless you were one of the few favorites. However, criticism was constant, whether deserved or not. My own boss was beaten down so often that she finally gave in and was ineffective leading her team.
The president was the worst; he could make any situation miserable, even when it should be a positive. I (with a very good team on my staff) turned around a department that was always losing money. We were making a profit! However, the president called me in and chewed me out for the past deficits (before I managed the department) and wanted to know what I was going to do in the future to keep the department profitable. I outlined my plans and was told that I’d better not fail him.
Negative feedback can leave you feeling miserable. For me, it was actually de-motivating. I would rather fail or leave the organization than work for someone with that attitude. So I did just that, I left the school and went to a much better place. My new environment is actually more competitive and more concerned about profits, but the leadership is also much more positive. I hear praise about how I am doing on the job and about great things my staff does. I feel better about myself and am losing the “stress” weight I gained at my last job.
What I finally realized, is that life is short. If I die tomorrow, I will do so knowing that I am happy with my day-to-day life. You need to feel appreciated in your job. Working in a negative environment is not in your best interest, so take some time to look around and see what other jobs are available in your field. I look at staying in a negative work environment as “settling.” Yes, it’s easier to stay there than look for a new job, but think about your long-term situation and do something that you enjoy for that 40 (or so) hours a week you put into it. You could also look into going back to college, but I will save that discussion for another day’s posting…
I left. About six months ago I found a better reality. My pay is the same but I moved to a less expensive part of the country. That’s good for me. I’m healthier now, too. I was constantly stressed at my previous job and it wasn’t doing me any good. For me, it was a decision as much about my health as it was about my sanity.
My leadership at my previous employer were not effective as managers. It was a very negative culture. Praise was rarely doled out, unless you were one of the few favorites. However, criticism was constant, whether deserved or not. My own boss was beaten down so often that she finally gave in and was ineffective leading her team.
The president was the worst; he could make any situation miserable, even when it should be a positive. I (with a very good team on my staff) turned around a department that was always losing money. We were making a profit! However, the president called me in and chewed me out for the past deficits (before I managed the department) and wanted to know what I was going to do in the future to keep the department profitable. I outlined my plans and was told that I’d better not fail him.
Negative feedback can leave you feeling miserable. For me, it was actually de-motivating. I would rather fail or leave the organization than work for someone with that attitude. So I did just that, I left the school and went to a much better place. My new environment is actually more competitive and more concerned about profits, but the leadership is also much more positive. I hear praise about how I am doing on the job and about great things my staff does. I feel better about myself and am losing the “stress” weight I gained at my last job.
What I finally realized, is that life is short. If I die tomorrow, I will do so knowing that I am happy with my day-to-day life. You need to feel appreciated in your job. Working in a negative environment is not in your best interest, so take some time to look around and see what other jobs are available in your field. I look at staying in a negative work environment as “settling.” Yes, it’s easier to stay there than look for a new job, but think about your long-term situation and do something that you enjoy for that 40 (or so) hours a week you put into it. You could also look into going back to college, but I will save that discussion for another day’s posting…
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Comment by Clint Emry
Strategy and Solutions
The Human Resource is subject to supply and demand just like any other resource. Also, remember that you are not your job.