The title of this blog post is a fair question to ask—and this is why:
According to a recent poll of over 1,000 employees in North America by Right Management, the talent and career management expert within the Manpower Group, workers feel trapped in their jobs and are seeking employment elsewhere.
Right off the bat, there are two numbers from this poll that stand out. These numbers reflect the fact that nothing has really changed in the marketplace in regards to workers and their attitudes about their current employment situation.
In both the 2011 and 2010 polls conducted by Right Management, 84% of employees indicated that they plan to actively look for a new job in the coming year. In addition, the same percentage of employees in both polls (5%) said that they intend to remain in their current position.
What were the percentages in 2009? In the Right Management poll conducted that year, 60% of employees said they planned to actively look for a new job and 13% said that intended to stay in their current position. As you can see, despite any improvements that might be happening in the economy and/or job market, employees are not only still dissatisfied with their current situation, but they’re also becoming more dissatisfied over time.
Some of the reasons for this dissatisfaction include the following:
- They’ve been asked to help do the jobs of people who were laid off during the recession, in addition to their own workload.
- They feel that there’s no possibility for advancement where they are.
- They are no longer passionate or excited about working for their current employer, for whatever reason.
- They were generally dissatisfied with how their employer handled the effects of the recession.
Even a percentage of respondents who didn’t say they were definitely looking for a new job said, “Maybe, so I’m networking,” 9% to be exact. That means 93% of over 1,000 employees polled are considering seeking new employment, seriously or otherwise.
So the question remains—do YOU feel trapped in your current job? If you do, you’re certainly not alone. Conduct an honest assessment of where you are . . . and where you want to go. If your current employer can’t take you there, it might be time to consider moving to greener—and more promising—pastures.
If you have any questions about this blog post, or about how we can help you find your next great career opportunity, please contact us.