Workplace Wellbeing: Positive steps you can take if you are fed up with work

Almost six in ten employees are disengaged from their jobs. But instead of putting up with the status quo, focus on what motivates you

Many people feel stuck in their jobs as they need to ensure they have a steady and reliable income.

Peter's* wife got a new job earlier this year. It paid significantly more than she had previously been earning and it also meant moving from Dublin to a more affordable part of the country.

“It was a promotion coupled with a decrease in our cost of living,” says Peter. “Childcare for our little girl would cost half of what it cost in Dublin. We’d have a chance of getting a mortgage. Our quality of life would be better. It was a no-brainer. She had to take it.”

There was a downside. It has taken Peter months to find a job in his field and even though he’s finally found one, it’s not making him happy.

“The one colleague I work with most of the time is approaching retirement and has lost all interest in work,” he says. “He’s just biding his time. The tasks I’m asked to do don’t challenge me. 

But what choice do I have? We want to start applying for a mortgage, so I need to have an income. I’m stuck in this job.”

According to Dr Mary Collins, a chartered psychologist at the RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences, many people are in Peter’s position.

“Gallup’s State of the Global Workforce Report 2023 finds that 59% of workers are disengaged from their work,” she says. “We all know people who feel this way. We may even feel this way ourselves.”

Reasons why people feel dissatisfied at work are numerous but the most common is workers experiencing issues with their boss.

“This is the number one reason people dislike their work,” says Collins. “It’s so important to have someone you respect, admire and can learn from as your boss. 

"If you feel like you have nothing left to learn or you’re not getting the stimulation you need from them, then you’re likely to want to leave.”

Job dissatisfaction

Dr Wladislaw Rivkin is an associate professor of organisational psychology at Trinity College Dublin. He identifies other possible reasons for job dissatisfaction.

“You may not feel happy about your salary, your relationship with colleagues, your work arrangements or your levels of autonomy,” he says. “You may even experience issues such as bullying in the workplace.”

These are all good reasons to leave a job, yet many people choose to stay in spite of them. This is because they are not in a position to quit.

“People who are about to apply for a mortgage can feel as if they’re handcuffed to their job,” says Collins.

Dr Mary Collins, chartered psychologist at the RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences

She also refers to the so-called ‘pink handcuff’. 

“This relates to women who are planning to start or grow their family,” she says. “With so much change in their personal lives, they can’t deal with change in their professional lives too. It can be the same for men who have just become parents. 

"Dealing with a shortage of sleep and the ill effects of that means they’re unlikely to have the capacity to think of moving jobs.”

People who are risk-averse by nature are also more likely to remain in unsatisfying jobs for longer. 

“Post-pandemic, there’s a lot of low-level anxiety out there and these people are deciding that it’s best to keep their heads down and stay where they are,” says Collins. “They’re not emotionally resilient enough to consider starting something new.”

Financial anxiety is another factor. 

“If you’re worried about making the cost of rent, you’re less likely to consider quitting your job,” says Collins.

Managing the optics

People sometimes choose to stay in a role because it enhances their CV. “I know someone who has moved around a lot and who has recently started a new job,” says Collins. 

“They have now realised they don’t like the values of their organisation but know that it will look bad if they move again so soon. They’ve decided to stay for a year for the sake of the optics.”

Rivkin also points to something called ‘the golden cage effect’. “This affects employees who receive high salaries,” he says. “They would have to accept considerable salary cuts if they changed jobs. So they decide to stay. 

"This can be detrimental as job dissatisfaction can contribute to burnout and other mental health impairments.”

Some people try to counter their dissatisfaction by embracing quiet quitting. This is a phenomenon where they consciously choose to disengage from work, focussing on getting through the day and doing the bare minimum rather than aiming for high standards.

Rivkin discourages such an approach. 

“It’s a dysfunctional coping strategy that can bring with it additional detrimental consequences,” he says. “For example, one’s manager will be less inclined to delegate interesting tasks or provide growth opportunities to disengaged employees, resulting in a vicious circle of further disengagement.”

Dr Wladislaw Rivkin, associate professor of organisational psychology at Trinity College Dublin. Picture: Edward Moss

A more proactive step to improve job satisfaction levels is to have an open conversation with your manager. 

“If your organisation understands the reasons why you’re dissatisfied, there may be changes they can make to address them,” says Rivkin.

Collins suggests controlling the controllables. 

“For example, if you find the office environment draining, ask if you can work from home more often,” she says. “Or if you particularly enjoy dealing with clients, find out if this is something you might be able to do more of.”

If you’ve autonomy, “you can change some aspects of your job to make it more engaging,” says Rivkin.

Your perspective is important too. 

“Sometimes, it’s good to remind ourselves of what’s good about our jobs,” says Rivkin. “We’re psychologically biased to focus on the negative and to pay less attention to the positive. Making a list of those positive aspects can be helpful.”

“Ask yourself how your job benefits you,” says Collins. “What are the elements you enjoy and how can you amplify them?

“It’s unlikely that you’re dissatisfied with every aspect of your job so focus on those that motivate you.”

Personal growth

You might also consider broadening your definition of success to include all aspects of life, not just work. 

“I once coached someone who was miserable in his job but felt trapped because it wasn’t the right time to move,” says Collins.

“As we considered his options, he told me how much he loved sport. He ended up writing a weekly article about football in his local free newspaper. 

"That scratched an itch for him and meant he was able to experience personal growth outside of his job. There are all sorts of ways in which we can all do this, including volunteering or studying something new.”

Our co-workers can add meaning to our working lives too. 

“Social support from our colleagues is a big factor in improving job satisfaction,” says Rivkin. “Even just venting about our dissatisfaction with colleagues can be helpful as a form of emotional coping.”

Whatever you decide to do, don’t suffer in dissatisfied silence, says Collins. 

“Staying in a job that makes you unhappy for too long isn’t good for your psychological wellbeing,” she says.

“So do what you can to give yourself a sense of autonomy over your own life. Whether that’s connecting with others, focusing on the positives or retraining, there are bound to be aspects of your current job that you can work to your advantage until the time comes that you’re in a position to quit.”

That’s exactly what Peter has decided to do. 

“This job pays relatively well, and it will help us get a mortgage,” he says. “It might not be as satisfying as the job I had in Dublin, but that job came with a long commute and a lifestyle that cost a lot to maintain. 

"Overall, my situation isn’t too bad, and it won’t last forever. I’ll eventually find something better.”

• * Name has been changed