Put Simply, You’re Bored

For many of us there comes a time in any job where we’ve nailed it. We know the routine and we’ve got it down. But if your bosses aren’t interested in setting you future challenges or you’ve reached as far as you can go in the promotional chain, it’s easy to get bored. “Maybe you’ve stopped being challenged. Or maybe your role has changed over time. Maybe you’re just so used to doing the job that the autopilot approach is all you know,” posits Michael Cheary from recruitment specialist Reed. “Whatever the reason, it doesn’t really matter. Being bored or unchallenged by your job is a key sign that things aren’t right. You may think you are content sitting on social media or silently staring out of the window for eight hours a day, but if your day is filled with ever more ingenious ways to waste time, walking away may be the only option.” The experts at recruitment giant Hays agree: “Having no goal to focus on and nothing to achieve can really kill your enthusiasm for a job. If there are no new skills to learn, no new responsibilities and no promotion on the horizon, why stay?”

The Culture Is Toxic

There are a number of indicators of a toxic workplace culture, explain the experts. “Employee morale is often a casualty of punishing hours, an unreasonable boss, impossible objectives and office politics,” warn the experts from Hays. “If any of those sound familiar to you, and you notice a serious lack of enthusiasm and positive interaction within your teams, it’s probably a sign that you should be looking elsewhere.” However, make sure you look at things with a level head, and don’t make any rash decisions, they add. “Moments of conflict at work are not, by themselves, wholly unusual, but if continuing issues within the entire workplace are causing a really sustained and detrimental effect on your mental health, it’s definitely time to take action.”

Your Ideas & Authority Aren’t Respected

No matter your rank in the company, everyone should be a trusted and respected voice when it comes to bringing new ideas to the table. But if yours aren’t being heard, or are actively ignored, it can be frustrating and demoralising. “If you believe you’ve done all you can to make yourself heard, it may be time to make a move to a role where your input will be more valued,” agree the experts at Hays. An undermining of your authority can also be hugely frustrating. “If you’re not respected as a leader, your ability to make changes is severely limited, impacting your morale as well as your development” explains the Hays team. “You may have tried to challenge the root cause of the behaviour and reassert your authority, but if it continues regardless, you should look elsewhere.”

You’re Constantly Complaining

When we’re unhappy at work, sometimes the only way to cope is to constantly sound off, whether it’s to your family, friends or even your fellow colleagues. “Everyone’s entitled to a bit of a grumble once in a while,” admits Michael. “But if you’re venting your frustrations so much that you’ve started punctuating your sentences with #RantOver and people have started avoiding you in the kitchen, it’s probably not a good sign.”