📣 Jesse Fields, Talent Development and DEI Leader:
*cue my best game show announcer voice*
🎤 Alright y'all... let's play.... IS IT TIME FOR A BREAK UP?
In this game, we provide a relationship scenario and ask contestants if it's time for this couple to BREAK UP!
"I see so much potential! They say all the right things, but their actions aren't matching up. Maybe with more time, they'll come around?"
"I'm not having any fun and they don't make me feel very good about myself. I feel like I'm on an island all alone. But maybe I can stick it out and things will get better?"
"This is comfortable and familiar, and I guess I feel pressured to stay. Maybe the grass isn't always greener on the other side."
"I don't know what they'll do without me. I carry this relationship."
SPOILER ALERT -- these are all actually worker and workplace relationships!
In all seriousness, the moment my career -- no, my LIFE -- turned around was when I started thinking about my relationship to my work as if it was a relationship with a person. If I was ever in X situation with a romantic interest, would my friends be telling me I'm worth so much more and to GTFO?
My gut tells me, you know you're worth more than this. Good luck, you got this.
📣 Katie Gerson, Human Resources Manager:
I find that all too often for myself I hit the point a little too late, there were little flags that went up sooner, boundaries that were pushed past that I ignored or justified. As Jessie highlighted, we can so easily dismiss the signs and justify the relationship, but then suddenly something is too big or there is a boundary that is pushed too far that makes you realize this just isn't right.
Everyone is different, but I like to say to employees/everyone to know your boundaries, values, standards, etc. that you will not compromise on. Hold them tight. Know which ones you are unwilling to let even a toe cross and the moment anyone pushes that line, that's when you know it's time to start looking for a new position.
A wise women *cough my mother* recently asked me as we discussed my current situation three questions and said, if you answer yes to all three, then you know you stayed true to you and you can sleep at night, it’s time to move on. That opened my eyes to how I will always gauge my decisions.
If this happened at any other company, would you have done the same thing?
Would you have done this (provided the same support/guidance/etc.) for any other employee?
Do you stand by your decision?
At the end of the day, regardless of the position individuals hold in any company, if they are generally frustrated with an organization or leadership there is a cloud over them and that makes it a lot harder to clearly see the next time something happens.
Good luck, just remember you are not alone! You have a community in the Safe Space!