4 Reasons Not To Quit Your Job — Including Politics

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Not everyone is fortunate enough to love their job — for many, heading to work can be quite draining both physically and emotionally. Whether it’s overwork, career burnout, unsatisfactory wages or work environment, or political disagreements (office or otherwise), there are a variety of reasons you may be considering quitting your job.

But what if it’s actually a bad idea to leave your current employer? Here are some reasons why it may not be such a wise move to quit your job.

Negative Office Politics Can Be Addressed

Is there a negative vibe permeating your workplace? According to business enthusiasm speaker Joshua M. Evans, it may not be necessary to quit your job as a result — despite the fact that “58% of employees have quit a job due to negative office politics,” as Evans wrote, citing a Randstad study.

Evans advised talking through adverse issues with your boss (and/or HR team) while documenting everything and keeping a positive attitude. Open dialogue can often result in a productive addressing of the pertinent issues — though that’s certainly not a guarantee.

“When negative office politics are getting you down, it’s important to remember that your work is what matters most. If you keep producing quality work and staying focused, you’ll be able to prove your value to the organization and remain successful,” Evans reiterated, suggesting that a bit of grit to get through a rough period may pay dividends further down the line.

Differing Party Politics Can Be Discussed Politely, Advertised Openly, or Absent Entirely

Office politics may be one thing, but different or clashing political views at the office are another entirely. In fact, according to HR Brew, a full 28% of those polled by the University of South Carolina stated they would leave a job over political differences.

This provides two very different logical attitudes to take depending upon your own beliefs, values, and ability to tolerate political differences. One might be to stand behind keeping politics out of the office entirely (including one’s own position), while the other may be to find a workplace and position that syncs up with your own beliefs.

Given that 60% of respondents would “prefer to work for a company with a CEO whose political beliefs are similar to their own,” it’s perhaps unsurprising to hear that many employees find themselves facing this choice.

A fair bit of responsibility for keeping things happy and productive in the office may come down to employers themselves, as one expert relayed to HR Dive: “Although differing political views may not prompt exits, the prevailing sentiment underscores a strong consensus for maintaining neutrality in the workplace,” Ronni Zehavi, CEO of HiBob, said in a statement. “Establishing clear guidelines and fostering respectful dialogue will help promote inclusivity and professional relationships.”

Between employers taking it upon themselves to provide a politics-free workplace (or perhaps a workplace where everyone is on the same ideological page) and employees working both to restrain themselves from proselytizing as well as from working in a politically hostile environment, a number of quits could be avoided.

You Can’t Actually Afford To Quit

For some employees, the most relevant reason to remain at their post could be that they simply cannot afford to quit. If you lack substantial savings, or simply do not want to touch your nest egg in case of an even dearer emergency, it may not be as easy as just deciding to walk out of the office for good whenever you feel like it.

“Finding a new job isn’t always as quick or as easy as you might think. Even if you have a strong skill set and work in an in-demand career field, the interview process can be lengthy, and you will need to replace your lost earnings until you start a new position,” The Balance advised.

Besides the pure financial reality of the situation, you may want to consider a lateral (or even vertical) move — that is, if it’s not necessarily the company itself that you’re having angst about, but rather the strict position, a move out of that role into something fresh and new could keep your much-needed paycheck intact while improving your personal satisfaction.

It’s Too Soon, and You Could Gain a Reputation For Job Hopping

Finally, you might want to reconsider quitting right away because it could leave you with a particularly negative label: job hopper.

While job hopping is actually on the upswing — more than 22% of workers aged 20 and over spent a year or less at their jobs in 2022, per Forbes — this isn’t necessarily an excuse to throw your position away at the earliest sign of discontent or displeasure.

Changing employers frequently is certainly more common in today’s tight economy. However, as Amy Zimmerman, chief people officer of Relay Payments, told CNBC Make It, there’s still a “sweet spot” of two to three years at any given job. Quitting a role (or roles) in less than a year can harm your chances of future employment, leading to a questionable resume.

“It sends quite a few negative signals. Number one, you lack commitment. Number two, you lack perseverance. It tells me that if the going gets tough, you get going,” Zimmerman said.

If you can at least delay your departure until you’ve reached a tenure of two or three years, you’ll show future employers the ability to “make a commitment and honor it,” Zimmerman added.

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