<p>Most of the people I know who are unhappy with their jobs (most are highly educated) is because they are in the twilight of their careers and have not accomplished what they expected when they were in their 20’s and realize they never will.</p>
<p>I agree about not wanting to work from home. To me, one of the ‘perks’ of working is the interaction with my co-workers (luckily I like them all). Working from home seems really lonely. If I’m going to be at home, I would rather not be working. </p>
<p>Though I do know quite a few people who do work from home and love it. I guess being able to work in your bathrobe * could* be a perk.</p>
<p>I do work from home and I love it. I used to have to commute in heavy bumper to bumper traffic that would take anywhere from 90 mins to 2 hours one way! By the time I got to the office I was a frazzled mess and it took a good 30 minutes to decompress before I could get started on work. Now, it’s get up, walk down the hallway to my office and get to work. I find I work longer hours at home because I’m not always looking at the clock trying to make sure I got on the road on time so I didn’t have to spend 2 hours on the road driving home. Sure, there are days when I do miss the interaction with the co-workers but the alternative (commuting) is much worse.
BTW, I get dressed in the morning - I don’t work in pj’s.</p>
<p>We have a corporate AIM type program that we use to communicate with each other, that way even working at home you can just send a message to someone. I just prefer face to face. I know the people who work from home are usually much more willing to work OT since they don’t have to go anywhere for it.</p>
<p>MomLive, We had dress up day at work for Halloween and my boss came in to the office in her pajamas. I was like, what are you supposed to be? and she said “a telecommuter” Lol.</p>
<p>I think some of it comes from being taken advantage of. Employers know that employees would have a hard time leaving a job and so they continually add more pressure. Most every job description says something like “and other duties as assigned.” Well, where does that end? </p>
<p>Also, as more of my generation begins to enter the workforce, I think you’ll see more and more people unhappy. I have noticed many think they should come out of college and automatically be in a management role. Or they automatically believe they should be making six figures. That’s not the way the world works and I think some of them are going to be in for quite a shock. </p>
<p>I know that I’m not exactly pleased with my job at the moment. I’m doing the same thing I’ve done for the last 3.5 years, continue to make minimum wage, and really don’t see much changing in the near future although a lot has changed since I originally got hired. I was expected to come back and step into a new role with increased responsibilities and increased pay, but that hasn’t happened yet. I’m frustrated because my specific profession within the organization is seen as the step-child of the organization which stems largely due to politics. But I’m only planning to be here a short time so I am pretty much trying to make as much money as I can and move onto grad school in the summer/fall.</p>
<p>I am really really tired of commuting 2 hours a day in heavy traffic. </p>
<p>I have always worked in high stress jobs where a lot was expected. Of course, being salaried, seems to mean long hours. I think most businesses have abused this for too many years. I fell into the pattern and worked long hard hours for many years. My current job has become about as low stress as possible. Actually it did not become low stress; rather, I have made it that way. I just don’t care anymore. I don’t spend a lot of time and energy pushing to make things better. I don’t live my job 24/7 and wake up thinking about work. I don’t need to worry about the incrediblely boneheaded, destructive decisions from upper management. Instead I spend hours a day on the internet and researching my hobbies and other interests. </p>
<p>Now that I have developed a sour attitude and am completely burnt out, you might think upper management would also be pretty much tired of me. Not so. In fact I have been told numerous times that they are really happy with me and my improved attitude. All I need to do is go to meetings and nod my head up an down when my bosses talk. The just love that can do, teamwork approach. </p>
<p>This place is not unique. The corporate culture is not bad and my bosses are actually among the best I have ever worked for. It is just sad that organizations just don’t work very well.</p>
<p>edad…You better hope they don’t start monitoring your online activities.</p>
<p>toledo, you miss the main point. I don’t care and I am certainly not going to worry about this place and what they may or may not try to do.</p>
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<p>Yes. I am in the middle of the year-end reporting cycle. After each quarter, management wants to know how many effort hours we put in. They also want to know how much overtime was worked. We are only to count time as overtime (for which we do not get paid, being salaried) if it is over a 10.5 hour day. That is simply “expected”. Weekend hours, which is also expected during peak reporting times, do count as overtime (but again, unpaid).</p>
<p>When the peak times come once every three months, and lasts just about a month, it isn’t long before you realize that’s 25% of your work time spent in that kind of environment. Used to be that the “off quarter” months made up for this by being much less stressful; but with the attrition I refered to above, this is no longer the case. Very discouraging.</p>
<p>Justamom:
I certainly understand. If I did nothing for the next several years, I would still have put in extra hours over the standard 40/week and I have only worked here 12 years. I am especially p.o.'d about this past weekend. I was mandated to attend a planning meeting that started at 7am on Saturday and was over an hour drive from my house. It ended at dinner time.</p>
<p>I hear lots of complaints in the workplace about the laxity of the next generation. It seems fewer people are willing to work long, long hours.</p>
<p>I agree with much of what has already been said. Downsizing has created more work for fewer people. Little or no raises, smaller or no bonuses. It all adds up to dissatisfaction.</p>
<p>I love my job and I’m in an industry particularly hard hit by the economic downturn. I still find my legal work challenging and our management awesome. I also realize that I am EXTREMELY lucky and I have a lot of gratitude for the situation I am in. I believe I am in the minority.</p>
<p>I plan to quit when I’m 65 whether I have enough money saved or not. I just don’t see how I’ll be able to stand doing what I’m doing for another 10 years, though. (Assuming the decision isn’t made for me during that period, because if I ever lose the job I have now, there aren’t any others out there for someone in my circumstances.) Perhaps, after almost 32 years of this (I graduated from law school when I had just turned 24, and have never done anything else), I’m simply burned out. It’s especially difficult for me when I’m also dealing with constant health problems – if it isn’t one thing, it’s another, seemingly all the time.</p>
<p>^^ I’m sure it isn’t a joy for your employer that you are dealing with constant health problems. It makes for a better workplace all the way around when employees have good morale and not a lot of personal or health issues.</p>
<p>DonnaL,
A few years ago I went to a financial planner. The planner was not very helpful but at least I started to seriously look at funding my retirement. I quickly realized that I would need to work well past 65, probably past 70, in order to retire and continue to live on Long Island. I also realized that the delay was doing little to add significantly to my retirement funds. Basically I was just using up my life expectancy. That is when I decided to downsize, put the house on the market and move. I can live well somewhere where the cost of living is more reasonable. Foolish me, I thought I could do that in a half year or so. The process has taken well over a year. We are now in contract. The buyers loan approval has been delayed but we are still hopefull.</p>
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Is the main point that you don’t care if you get fired?</p>
<p>edad, I’m following in your footsteps. I just spoke to two realtors. I need to downsize the house so i can downsize the job. I’m hoping it will happen in 2011, but it might take into 2012. I feel much better, though, knowing that I have A Plan.</p>
<p>On the other hand, a toxic work environment where everyone is very unhappy is also an extremely unhealthy place to work. No one benefits in such a situation. I’m sure studies would show increased poor health in such places compared to places where workers are content, even if the workload and work is similar.</p>
<p>This is why I have always encouraged H to think of the work environment and told him NOT to apply for promotions and transfers – where he would get more pay but folks were miserable and he’d be unhappy. I told him it is much more important to me that he enjoyed his job than bringing home slightly more $$$$. It has worked well for him & he’s been with his employer for 4 decades now, most of those years pretty happy. He knows he could have made more $$ sooner, but quality of life has always been a top priority for both of us.</p>
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<p>It’s a law firm, for goodness’ sake! There are some things it just isn’t realistic to expect.</p>
<p>If I thought I could survive another go-round of being on probation for 90 to 180 days I’d try to find another job. I was told last week that a co-worker got special perks since the manager didn’t want them to quit due to a hiring freeze. </p>
<p>The workplace has changed for the worse in the past thirty years. If you have read “Working” by Studs Terkel then you realize that most people dislike their jobs.</p>
<p>I guess I’m glad to be an exception & know a lot of exceptions, including the one I’m married to. We actually enjoy our jobs and I’ve liked most of all the jobs & volunteer work I’ve done over the decades. The people I hire also seem to really enjoy working together and for our non-profit. I’m very gald because I would NOT want to work with people who actively dislike working at their jobs–makes for a toxic place. Am always happy to be around folks who enjoy their jobs to varying degrees.</p>