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If you are unhappy with your job, the best course of action for everyone involved is to let your employer know. Sure, you could very well end up finding more fulfilling work elsewhere and be on your way. But your supervisor should know when things go awry and you need a change.
Many of us don’t want to be viewed as malcontents. You’d rather get along, secretly apply for jobs, and then let your departure send a message to your former institution: that your talents are more valued by others, and the college or university should take better care of its employees because reasonable people like you want to leave.
That’ll teach them.
Economic Exit
This unspoken approach, we hope, will result in change that German economist Albert O. Hirschman referred to as “economic” in his 1970 venerable book, “Exit, Voice, and Loyalty.” Economic exits mean that organizations recognize how consumers, clients, and employees are voting with their feet, and they correct a problem with better service, retention, compensation, or whatever it takes to succeed.
Even if this occurs, an economic exit strategy doesn’t benefit you. It helps the next person your former institution hires. What too often happens is employers don’t care. Especially in a competitive job market, they just move on to the next person.
There are enormous costs associated with employee turnover, and many schools delay hiring someone immediately to save costs. You might have to relocate or spend valuable time establishing yourself at your new institution. It might not be worth whatever satisfaction you gain from your “huzzah!” moment on the way out the door.
Political Change
A better method is what Hirschman calls “political.” It means you speak up to effect change.
You can do this by telling your supervisor that you are unhappy and give them ideas about enriching your job or at least a sense of what it will take to correct the bad situation.
This is not about threatening to quit to get what you want. It’s about recognizing mutual benefits. Your boss might genuinely care, but often they’re too busy to notice that you’re unhappy until it’s too late.
“The use of voice in this way is probably most salient in the case of people within an enterprise who are unhappy with its conduct,” wrote business writer Daniel Akst in his essay about Hirschman for PwC’s “Strategy+Business” magazine. “Although customers in a competitive marketplace can easily move on, departure is more difficult for insiders. Agitating for change from within isn’t easy. But the attempt, at least, can forestall the need to find another job — or keep the venture from failing and taking your job with it.”
Voice Improves Everyone
Political change could feel like attempts to salvage an irreparable marriage before having to resort to a divorce. Why delay the inevitable? Your manager might not want to deal with you and prefer you just return to your desk or classroom, especially if they can easily replace you. Competition is good for institutions, right?
Not exactly. Akst noted that employers that prefer economic exits over political voice often means they simply trade malcontents back and forth without improving.
You also have something to gain from voicing your dissatisfaction. Your employer can’t fix something that they don’t know is broken. Give them the opportunity and see how far they are willing to meet your needs. You might be leaving more money on the table or a better work environment in favor of the unknown at another campus.
Don’t compare a job offer at another institution to your current situation. You’re deciding between futures at both schools. Make them show you how much they care about you. Getting the most out of a potential counteroffer starts well before anyone knows the initial offer.
How To Use Your Voice
There’s an obvious question here: Should you tell your boss you are searching for other jobs?
Generally speaking, no. There are exceptions, such as if you are applying for a position at your current institution, and a lot can depend on your relationship with your manager. In extreme cases, your employer might punish you for not fully committing to your current role. If that’s the case, you should want to leave anyway.
Still, you want to maintain loyalty and not be considered a flight risk. A best practice is to wait until after you interview for a position that you anticipate taking if offered. That way, you give your employer more time to prepare a counteroffer.
Disclosing information about your search won’t make you less frustrated with your job. Instead, you should focus your conversations with your employer about why you are unhappy and what would make you most satisfied and effective at your job.
This shouldn’t occur in one sudden airing of grievances, and you shouldn’t wait for your supervisor to ask how things are going. A good boss is concerned about their employees’ professional development, but it’s not to be expected. Addressing your needs is your responsibility.
Here are three steps to take:
- Schedule a meeting or make a point to have an informal check-in with your supervisor three to four times per year to discuss your role and any successes or challenges you are encountering. Don’t wait until your annual performance evaluation.
- Ask questions instead of complaining. Come from a place of curiosity and show that you are eager to contribute. Because the nature of work changes continuously, two good questions to ask are “What is my job?” and “How might I do it better?”
- Reassess your situation based on previous conversations and the work you are doing to be more effective. Provide evidence. There’s a give-and-take involved to get the resources, advocacy, or any changes you desire.
Your job is an economic contract. Using your voice is doing your due diligence. If your employer doesn’t meet your expectations, then it’s time to plan your exit and find one that does. But don’t leave without speaking up first.
