Does Your Job Make You Feel Like You Are "Doing Time"?

IT IS NOT a stretch to say that a significant proportion of people reading this article right now will be part of a group that feels as though they are “doing time” and serving a prison sentence at work.

They feel locked in, begrudgingly attend their workplace and constantly dream of their escape – the end of their work shift, their next day off, or a job elsewhere.

The fact is that dissatisfied employees can cause significant problems in the workplace.  

Not only are they less productive and easily distracted but they are also usually less engaged.

When an employee is discontented the effects can be insidious and reach throughout an organisation.

This is because their interactions with co-workers often are negative, meaning morale can suffer as well. 

It is a fact that many employers mistakenly view remuneration as a major cause of employee discontentment.

While pay and conditions are a key and oft-cited source of dissatisfaction, there is a smorgasbord of reasons that can come in to play when the topic turns to staff discontent.

Take, for example, the many employees who work long and hard for little or no recognition.

Despite been adequately remunerated, they do not feel appreciated nor respected for the work they do.

Others become disengaged because they do not have access to the basic tools and equipment to do the job.

And still others become disillusioned because they are expected to take on new roles, tasks and responsibilities without receiving the relevant training.

Some employees will feel frustrated and unfulfilled because they have reached the limit of their advancement or development – they have hit the organisational ceiling – and feel they have nowhere to go.

Others fail to align with the organisation’s values, which makes them feel disconnected.  

And, of course, one sure-fire way to make your employees hate their jobs is to employ a difficult, domineering or just lousy boss.

Being poorly managed or over-managed is a major source of employee dissatisfaction.

Some liken their work to a prison sentence because their employers offer little in the way of parole or flexibility, making it difficult for them to juggle non-work commitments.

And while harsh economic conditions for business prevail, job insecurity will continue to be a source of concern for employees.

We have all heard the expression “the grass is always greener on the other side”.

Well, it isn’t but this type of thinking often applies in the workplace.

Some employees are never satisfied and always looking at what other organisations can offer them. 

The fix for business leaders, though, is often straightforward: identify the root cause of an employee’s unhappiness and take actions to address it.

Quite often the solution is within reach but requires you, as a leader, to engage with the employee.  

It can make a huge difference and boost employee productivity and morale.