Is walking away the same as giving up?

By Kriti Gupta

“People quit managers and not companies” 

This is a phrase which is often heard while working in organizations. People sweat bullets in search of a job they had always wanted to take up. And once they have finally landed there, the real struggle begins!

The job profile is good, the package seems attractive and you are working hard to make ends meet. Chances are that you are the highest performing employee in your team. Your boss turns to you for every other chore that has to be completed and perhaps you are way too happy to be doing it. However, is that all you look for in your company?  What about the work environment and values like dignity and pride?

When you go to the office, you look for some good colleagues; a friendly working atmosphere and a supportive manager who would help you survive this cut-throat competition.

When the rest of the team members try to pull you down or mock you for working too hard, you don’t have to be bothered because you believe your seniors have eyes at the back of their heads and given their experience, they know who is to be trusted and who isn’t worth the recognition.

Alas, you are disappointed because the boss seems to be too happy with all the other members except you.

Why do you feel so?

In team meetings, your opinions are not taken into consideration. You are singled out during social interactions.  You are criticized for small details such as coming a minute late to the meeting while other members enter the hall only after 20 minutes.

Initially, you console yourself by saying, “Maybe I am a hardworking member and my employer has high expectations from me. That is why he seems to be more observant in my case.” But when your colleague who hardly does anything, yells at you or humiliates you in public meetings, there is nothing you can do. You are baffled; your senior is only a spectator in such situations. By saying he has to be diplomatic, he forgets to look past his own nose. It is true; managing people is a difficult job. However, when things are as clear as black and white, you are confused as to why your senior fails to take a stand for a member who doesn’t call it a day until the work is done?

Yet after all this, he turns to you to get his work completed. You are being made to slave all day and you don’t even get appreciated for what you do. Self-respect and dignity are more important to you than all those trips and perks that you get from this job.

People call you an emotional fool. They say you can’t get personal while working professionally. But you can’t work at all if you don’t have a sense of belonging to your organization.

Are you getting bullied? Or is something wrong with your own nature? Maybe, you are taking it too seriously. Or maybe you deserve something better? Well, people say, “the boss is always right”. You are a few months away from that promotion. You wouldn’t get those free stays in big hotels anymore. You might not even get a job like this in the future. The executives don’t want to lose you but you don’t even get what you want. What are you getting then?

Some are advising you to stay by saying, “Control your temper, it happens. Learn to adapt, your time will come. Giving up is not the solution. You are getting offended on the smallest of things.”

How do you make them understand that walking away is not the same as giving up? You just don’t want to be a part of their toxic environment.

Staying vacant without a job scares you but staying in the same job kills you as well!

You are perplexed! After leaving your previous job, you are reconsidering your decision. How do you find out what is the right thing to do? Is there anybody else who feels the same?

Care to share your opinion for a fruitful discussion at SquashTheBeef? Let’s weigh in on the issue at hand and figure out a solution that is the best for all of us!

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