Despite being a fast-growing economy, US citizens are still feeling the effects of unemployment, low salaries, cost of living issues, and more. A growing economy isn’t a true reflection of society, and people continue to grow discontent with the job market.
Here are 18 reasons why people don’t want to work anymore.
Low Salary
Despite a growing economy, studies suggest that salaries in the US are falling. This is even the case in people who are already settled in jobs. When working in the same position for a period of time, one would expect to eventually earn a pay rise or a promotion. But low salaries are a harsh reality for workers in many industries.
Working Overtime
Some companies will have an unwritten rule that you are expected to work overtime. But the contract will state that you work from 9 to 5. So, it’s no surprise that employees are disgruntled when they’re asked to work longer than their contracted hours for zero benefits.
Lack of incentivization
Employees often lack incentivization. Working harder will only result in more work, less energy, and zero benefits. Empty promises of pay rise or promotion can leave employees even more dejected after putting in months or years of hard work only to feel further behind than when they started.
Cost of living issues
While the cost of living issues should be an incentive to work harder and provide for yourself and your family, the opposite can be true. Workers have kept the same jobs and salaries for months or years only to be worse off than before.
Company Ethics
Starting a new job at a thriving company can be exciting. But after spending a bit of time in the workplace, employees may peel the layers back and realize that company ethics are lacking. Whether the company takes advantage of poor workers abroad, mistreats its office employees, or underpays staff, ethical dilemmas can leave employers feeling less committed to their current company.
Misleading Job Descriptions
Spending hours submitting tedious job applications can be mind-numbing. But when you land the dream role and interview, it can pay off. But not always. Many job descriptions and even their salaries turn out to be misleading in order to cast a wide net of fish. But after spending weeks applying and struggling to sustain yourself, people feel they have no choice but to accept the deceiving position.
Workplace Politics
Workplace politics can be cruel and highly toxic. Coworkers may work overtime without benefits in order to get on the boss’s good side, putting pressure on them to do the same. Or, someone keeps complaining about minor issues related to workers to HR, all just to make them look worse in the workplace.
Lack of Positive Reinforcement
It’s one thing not getting a raise or a promotion for months and years of consistent hard work. It’s another to not receive even a little positive reinforcement. In the workplace, people experience scolding and criticism for mistakes more than they experience positive reinforcement for completed tasks. While criticism is valuable to growth, negative reinforcement can humiliate workers and decrease their confidence.
Silly Interviews
Interviews are never fun. But some of them in particular can come across as strange. Testing applicants by making them wait outside for an extended time, or asking irrelevant questions after they’ve prepared specifically to answer questions related to the position can waste their time.
Horrible Bosses
The attitude and personality of your boss can determine whether you love or hate your job. Horrible bosses are those who over-reliant on negative reinforcement and lack general social skills or accountability. What’s more, you can take this negativity back home, affecting your mental health outside of work.
Commuting
Who wants to spend an hour commuting in smog-filled traffic at 7:00 am? The day has hardly even begun, and yet you’re stressed and angry due to the congestion and poor decision-making of other drivers on the road.
Work From Home
Working from home can provide the modern worker with many benefits which can make work more enjoyable. After tasting work from home, many are reluctant to return to the dull office. Eliminating the need to commute can give you 2+ hours of free time in your day. Not having to worry about people looking over your shoulder and playing your own music can actually put you in a better rhythm of work.
Inept Co-Workers
Co-workers aren’t always unfriendly or cold. Sometimes, they’re great people. But even these co-workers can make your office life more difficult. Whether you have to work extra hard to make up for their mistakes at no extra cost or you’re constantly interrupted by chatter, co-workers can affect your productivity.
College Debt
Spending so much money to obtain a college degree, only to work in a low-salary job is demoralizing. Having invested so much time, money, and effort in obtaining a degree, only to have acquired a huge sum of college debt can leave people unsatisfied with the current economy.
Nepotism
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you do, only who you know. Nepotism is common in the workplace, and this can harm the productivity of others if they think they aren’t getting recognition because of their contacts.
Physical Health
Fitness is mainstream these days. People are becoming more concerned about their physical health as the days go by. Sitting infront of the computer for 9 hours a day in unergonomic chairs which tighten our hips and hamstrings don’t do our bodies any favors. People are opting to work from home or choose different jobs which don’t compromise our health.
Mental Health
Staring at the computer screen for hours on end and being stressed about our jobs diminishes our mental health significantly. With more and more people opening up about mental health struggles, their occupation takes a back seat as their rightfully prioritize their mental wellbeing.
Climate Anxiety
Many companies contribute towards CO2 emissions and other practices harmful to the environment. While it is inevitable that companies will contribute towards CO2 emissions in some ways, employees become dissatisfied when companies refuse to take accountability or find solutions.
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