CEO & Founder at THE HR ICU. Providing simple, affordable and time-efficient HR tools for all levels of people leaders in an organization.
Everyone has times when they love their job and career and other days when they don’t want to get out of bed. Yet, has it not been said many times over that we spend more time at work than we do at home, so it is important to love what you do? This is easier said than done. There are so many variables that can affect our happiness at work, including our immediate boss, our colleagues and even the image our organization has within our community or country.
Speaking from experience, I have helped many people through odd situations over my 20-plus years in human resources. When you have a job or work for an organization that you might not be currently fond of, it’s hard to just keep your head down and do your job. You can become unhappy, grumpy and, of course, completely unmotivated. Any little thing that happens can seem like an enormous issue, and it’s hard to get out of that rut. But I promise you it is possible. Depending on your situation, the below suggestions could help you.
Talk to your manager.
If your manager is not the issue, then bring them up to speed about how you are feeling. As much as possible, share facts and not emotions. It is one thing to be upset or sad and share that with your boss, but if and when something tangible occurred, your manager needs the facts. If you speak to your manager in person, I recommend following up with an email so that the conversation and issue are documented. Then, send that email to yourself on a personal account. This way, you can always have access to it if you ever need it. Finally, remember that, sometimes, managers are limited in what they can do, so do not expect them to do everything you might have suggested to fix the problem.
Talk to HR.
Keep in mind that nine times out of 10, your HR team will need to share the details of your conversation with your manager (unless the issue is the manager). HR acts as a go-between and will facilitate activities to help rectify the issue, but unless it is very serious, HR professionals act as coaches and mentors to the leadership team to help investigate and correct issues. If you go to them, you should also follow up with an email. And, again, I suggest sending that same email to a personal email account.
Talk to someone outside of the organization.
I do not mean a friend. While they might be able to help relieve some tension, they are not always equipped with tools to help you navigate the issue. Consider seeking out a professional. If your company offers benefits, ask if a counselor is part of those benefits, especially if you are really distressed. Counselors are professionals; this is their area of expertise, and they’ll want to help.
What is important to remember is that no one is responsible for your happiness but you. If you report the issue to your manager or HR, unfortunately, your situation might not change. In these instances, it might be up to you to change, whether that means you leave the organization, you ask to be transferred to a different area or you decide to accept the situation and move on. Managing issues that happen to you or around you can be hard work, so in the end, keep in mind that you have the power to create your own happiness.
Many of us spend more time at work than at home, so do what you can to ensure you love your organization, the people and your job. I believe life is more fun that way.
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