Issue 08

Everything Has its Reason and Season

Author

Chris Hagood
October 24, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

Table of Contents

Opening Salvo

Last week, I planned to share my thoughts on how long one should stay at a job and what I believe is a critical contributor to workplace suffering: staying beyond the point of diminishing returns. So, as advertised, let’s talk about overstaying.

I understand that many of us stay in jobs longer than we’d like due to financial reasons, but I believe we often end up feeling “stuck” because we don’t have a plan for evaluating whether where we are is still where we’re supposed to be. Remember, everything has its reason and its season.

At some point in 2022, while re-watching an episode of The Office for likely the 13th time, I realized I had missed a major theme: why did many of these characters stay in such an underwhelming environment for so many years? The brilliance of the show lies in how relatable—and, even in its absurdity, how accurate—the storylines are. Side note: I think this scene is one of the funniest in the entire series.

The truth is, the hardest part about getting a new job isn’t landing the offer—challenging as that can be—but actually doing the job. We focus so much on getting the job that we don’t always consider what we want to gain from the overall experience before we get there: which skills the role will help us acquire or refine, and what types of environments or management styles best promote our growth and performance. Since each of our experiences and needs are different, I’m going to paint in broad strokes. Here are four themes and considerations I think are helpful when evaluating if you’re in the right seat or if it’s time to find a new environment:

1. Personal Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

  • Work-Life Balance and Stress: Does your job allow you to maintain a healthy balance, or is it taking a toll on your mental and physical health? Chronic stress and burnout can signal that your current role is unsustainable.

  • Gut Feeling: Trust your intuition. If something doesn’t feel right and your gut tells you it’s time to explore new opportunities, it’s worth listening to that inner voice.

2. Psychological Safety

  • Company Culture: Do you connect with your company’s values and culture? A supportive and inclusive culture fosters psychological safety, but if you feel disconnected from the organization’s mission or team dynamics, it could be affecting your overall sense of belonging and trust.

  • Workplace Relationships: Do you feel unburdened sharing ideas and feedback without fear of negative consequences? Positive workplace relationships are essential, and if there’s a lack of psychological safety, it can stifle your ability to thrive and contribute fully.

  • Leadership and Management: Do you feel supported by your manager and leadership team? A culture of psychological safety includes leaders who foster openness, trust, and encourage risk-taking without fear of punishment or embarrassment.

3. Career Development and Growth

  • Career Growth: Are you still learning and growing in your role? If you feel stagnant and there’s no clear path forward, it may be time to seek opportunities for professional development elsewhere.

  • Long-Term Career Alignment: Does your job align with your future career goals? If your role doesn’t support where you want to be in 5 to 10 years, it may be time to look for something that better fits your ambitions.

4. Compensation and Stability

  • Compensation: Are you being fairly compensated for your contributions? If your salary, benefits, or bonuses haven’t kept up with your performance or market standards, it might be time to consider other options.

  • Job Security: Do you feel stable in your current role? Frequent restructuring, layoffs, or financial instability within the company could be a signal to seek out a more secure position.

Deciding to leave a job requires a careful evaluation of your career goals, personal well-being, and future opportunities. By reflecting on these factors, you can make an informed choice about whether to stay and grow or actively pursue something new. If you decide to move on, you can use the same criteria that helped you make that decision to guide your job search, ensuring that you pursue opportunities that align with your workplace needs and career aspirations.

Did You See This?

Navigating Policy and Culture: The EY Training Session Dismissals

Ernst & Young (EY) recently dismissed several U.S. employees after discovering they had attended two virtual training sessions simultaneously. These sessions are part of EY’s requirement for employees to complete a certain number of professional development hours each year. However, the dismissed employees claimed their actions weren’t intended to accumulate credits faster. Instead, they argued they were trying to take advantage of simultaneous sessions they didn’t want to miss. They also pointed to EY’s work culture, which they said encourages multitasking, and claimed they were never explicitly told that attending multiple sessions at once was against company policy.

This situation underscores a significant tension between corporate policies and the realities of modern work culture, particularly in large firms like EY.

What makes this more complex is the claim that EY’s internal culture fosters multitasking. In many corporate environments, employees are often expected to juggle multiple priorities, and that pressure can lead to decisions like this. If employees were unclear about the policy on attending multiple sessions, it raises questions about communication within the organization. Were the expectations properly outlined, or was the emphasis solely on meeting the training requirements?

From a talent management perspective, this incident offers a familiar lesson: organizations must clearly communicate both their policies and the rationale behind them. If employees don’t understand the reasoning, they may look for ways to work around the rules, even without ill intent. In this case, the employees may have viewed multitasking as a way to engage more fully, but without clear guidance, they misstepped.

Moreover, companies should reflect on how their internal culture influences employee behavior. If multitasking is normalized or encouraged, employees might feel compelled to act in ways that conflict with other company values. Striking a balance between fostering a high-performance culture and ensuring employees don’t inadvertently violate policies is crucial in maintaining trust and clarity.

Talent Management 101 (TM101)

Let's talk about LeaderFactor’s perspective on the four stages of psychological safety.

Psychological safety is the belief that individuals can express themselves, contribute ideas, and take risks without fear of negative consequences, such as embarrassment, rejection, or punishment. It fosters an environment where team members feel safe to speak up, collaborate openly, and engage in meaningful discussions without worrying about harming their reputation or standing within the team. This concept is crucial for building trust, innovation, and productivity across teams.

This approach provides a structured framework for creating an inclusive environment where individuals thrive:

  1. Inclusion Safety: This foundational stage ensures that individuals feel accepted and included in the group. Leaders at this stage focus on creating a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels they belong, regardless of background, identity, or role.

  2. Learner Safety: Individuals are encouraged to ask questions, seek feedback, experiment, and make mistakes without fear of judgment or ridicule. This stage is essential for fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.

  3. Contributor Safety: Here, team members feel confident in their ability to contribute their skills and ideas to the group's goals. They know their input is valued, and they are trusted to perform their roles effectively.

  4. Challenger Safety: The final stage emphasizes the importance of creating an environment where employees feel safe to challenge the status quo, offer critical feedback, and present new ideas without fear of retribution. This is where innovation and creative problem-solving flourish.

Psychological safety is vital for creating a team culture that values diverse perspectives and promotes continuous improvement. Teams that prioritize psychological safety see higher engagement, stronger collaboration, and better performance. By moving through these four stages, organizations can unlock the full potential of their employees, driving both individual and collective success.

The Plug

This newsletter is brought to you by AstutEdge, a consultancy dedicated to developing and deploying a people-first talent management culture. We solve both obvious and hidden challenges by optimizing performance, engagement, and development across the entire HR, People, and Talent spectrum.

How We Help:

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  • Enhance Employee Experience: Boosting morale and retention with data-driven engagement programs.

  • Improve Organizational Culture: Providing insights and solutions to create a positive, high-performing work environment.

  • Increase Business Growth: Aligning talent management practices with business goals to drive innovation and growth.

  • Strengthen Collaboration: Facilitating team cohesion through CliftonStrengths-based coaching and development.

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