In some workplaces, a high turnover can drive even more people to leave. Coworkers may be influenced by the departure of a team member into looking for another job.
This reaction could be a result of feeling insecure in their own jobs or the hopes for finding greener pastures similar to those who have left for better prospects.
Acting on an impulse may not be the right move, however. There are always many factors at play when changing jobs. Your situation could be totally different from those who left, you experience and position may not land you a better job immediately, and you may be better off sticking longer with your employer to build your experience on paper and in practice.
How do you know if leaving is better than staying or not? Look into the following points to make your decision.
Individual situations
If you have a number of team members who moved on to new jobs, try not to bundle them all together. People may have different reasons to move on. So try to find out as much as you can about their individual situations and what drove them to leave. One might have had a better offer somewhere, another could have moved for family reasons, etc. In this case, you should not be pursuing a new job unless your career warrants a job change.
In addition, filter rumours to get to the facts. When someone quits, there could be a lot of unsubstantiated talk about better pay or problems with current supervisor. Don’t believe everything you hear especially if your workplace is rampant with office politics.
Focus on yourself
Aside from all that is happening around you, focus on your position, how you get along with others and what the employer offers you and will potentially offer you. You might be in a better position than many others, and that is why you should stick with your current employer.
In addition, if you have just taken this job for a short period, it may be wise to stay for a few months or a year just to avoid looking like a hopper. In addition, leaving within a short period could also raise red flags with future employers as you may appear to have been fired.
When you look into your situation, also think of what additional duties and perks will you be getting with a new job. Money is not everything. If you’re in a position where you can learn and grow, that could equate an investment in your future.
Avoid politics
Your decision to stay with a job or pursue a new opportunity shouldn’t be influenced by office politics. You only must consider your current job as a building block in your career. Try to make the best out of it, and don’t be distracted by what is happening around you as long as it won’t impact you personally — be realistic about this impact, as well.
In the larger scheme of things, who said what and when won’t matter. What will matter is what experience you gained, which contacts you established and how you benefited from your experience with a particular employer. In addition, you will always want to protect your future reference, so don’t be carried away with other people’s problems or issues. If your experience so far has been positive, capitalise on it.
Having said that, don’t turn a blind eye to warning signs if they emerge. When and if you feel your own job is threatened or you’re not provided with the advancement opportunities that you’d expect, that will be the time to consider a move.
Move forward
Under pressure you might take a job, any job. But if you are conscious of how and when is the ideal to make you move, your next move will be a step forward to a better position that demonstrates that your career is on the right track.
So instead of rush out of a good job because others had issues or left, think about what make for a logical next step. Take your time to consider it and only take it when the timing is right.
The writer, a former Gulf News Business Features Editor, is a Seattle-based editor.
Don’t jump ship just yet
— Peer pressure isn’t a reason to leave
— Thinks of why others are quitting
— Consider your overall career goals
— Don’t ignore warning signs
— R.O.
