Feeling trapped in your job? Tips for employees and employers from Dr Merel Feenstra-Verschure
One in five workers who are dissatisfied with their job feel unable to leave it of their own accord, according to doctoral research by Merel Feenstra-Verschure. As a result, employees often stay too long in a job that is no longer really suited to them. This situation has negative consequences for both their position in the labor market and for the employer, because it undermines commitment and productivity. But in the end, it’s the employee who suffers the most. Being stuck in a job can be a significant source of stress and exhaustion. More than a third of employees unhappy in their job suffer from depressive symptoms or even a burnout.
People who report feeling trapped in their job feel they have insufficient control over their situation. There may be uncertainty around their qualifications or due to financial obligations, for example. They also perceive barriers to taking the necessary steps to finding different, more suitable employment. Unfortunately, this subject is still a taboo: people are reluctant to talk about their feelings at work, especially if those feeling are negative.
TIP 1. Talk about feelings at work, particularly negative ones
More openness at work will lead to more understanding
Merel Feenstra-Verschure: “Anybody can end up feeling stuck in their job at some point in their career. But it would be a step forward if we could discuss this kind of thing more openly at work. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. This is partly due to lack of knowledge around this issue, but also because of social pressure to have everything figured out. That translates into a preference not to share with our colleagues or immediate supervisor that we are dissatisfied and see no way of ever leaving. This causes too many people to stay in their job for much longer than they should.”
TIP 2. It’s okay if sometimes things don’t work out
Stop worrying about everything that could go wrong – this will make you feel like there is no way out
“I sometimes get asked whether this was the case twenty years ago. I think that the dissatisfaction that can arise when you feel stuck in your job was already there, but that we were less concerned about it. The constant pursuit of perfection also seems to play an increasingly important role. Even though there are usually many different jobs that a person could do, they will often assume that their current role in their company is so specialized that they couldn’t work anywhere else. Another common belief among employees who have been working for the same employer for a long time is: ‘Who would want to hire me now?’ These negative thoughts can cause people to stay where they are.”
TIP 3. Organizations should help people to develop
This benefits their relationships with employees
“Employers are jointly responsible for the well-being of their employees. Supervisors need to be aware of the feelings of employees and be receptive to what they have to say. That’s the only way to start an open dialogue. Employees are too scared to say anything because of the risk of losing their job. We have to prevent people from ending up overstressed and burnt-out because they let things slide for too long.”
TIP 4. Organizations have to cooperate better to prevent people from becoming ‘stranded’
Good cooperation should make it easier for employees to change jobs
“If we take a wider view of how organizations could work together better, workers should be able to switch employers more easily. Another thing that you often see is that people stay put because of favorable employment conditions and unfavorable severance arrangements. They accumulate all kinds of benefits over the years. But organizations should actually be focusing more on giving employees the opportunity to continue developing. That will help them to stay employable."
TIP 5. Be more flexible when it comes to employees who are leaving the organization
Show employees who are leaving how valuable they have been
“In business, as soon as somebody announces their departure, it’s often as if there is a transparent wall around them. They carry on working for a two-month notice period, but there’s a palpable distance between employer and employee. One example of how this could be approached better is ‘emeritus’ status among professors. Outgoing professors who are heading for retirement are actually celebrated before they leave. They are given the chance to tell their story one more time. This makes the departure a positive experience for both employer and employee. It’s a kind of red carpet – only for people on their way out rather than on their way in.”
Date of publication: 8 May 2023