Six months ago I left my previous employer who gave me an opportunity when I was restarting my life and trying to get my bearings.
I made the decision because after more than a year and countless contributions and "stretch assignments" they rewarded my efforts with a 3% increase in salary and more work. This after all the news and announcements that despite the pandemic we were stronger and posted more earnings and business (the industry we were supporting were pharmaceutical companies)
So business was booming and the expected trickle-down economy was non-existent. I was mad and when I voiced my frustration was given the line that I should just be grateful that I have a job.
It was not as if I was accepting a handout. My workload was double what it was previously and a lot of incentives and benefits were removed all for that sense of tightening belts so that the company can survive. The battle cry was "We were all in this together"
Then there were talks of how newer employees were given a substantial salary offer. As much as companies don't like people talking about salaries people will always talk. One manager even haughtily said that he was going to investigate who was talking and will fire them. Wow talk about using a flamethrower to kill a fly.
This just caused the "Great Resignation" as people who silently endured and have been with the company for years made the decision to leave. It was as if a spell was broken and people woke up.
Similar to the labor shortage that is happening in the US, people started thinking that I deserve more. That we didn't need to stay in a company that only saw us as cheap labor.
Photo by Anthony Tori on Unsplash
So what has this got to do why I am writing my thoughts today. Well, it is because of knowing our worth and what we can contribute.
Starting in a new company is always fraught with the nervous thoughts of what if I don't do well. What if I don't get along with my new superior and team.
The past six months have been a rollercoaster of failures, disappointments, depression, and almost giving up.
It came to the point that I hated what I was doing and was seriously considering changing careers because I could not see myself doing it anymore because of crummy clients and even crummier management (to be fair it was only one bad boss, the rest were okay)
I was not exerting my best, would be absent because I didn't want to go into a meeting with the bad manager.
I then decided my mental and emotional health was more important and sent an email to HR with my intent to resign and I did not bother talking about it with the bad manager. When I talked to HR I told them of my frustrations and why I wanted to resign. Life is too short to be saddled with a bad boss and apparently, this person has the highest attrition number in the company.
They promised a solution. A week after our discussion I had another manager talk to me and give me the option to join her team. I was hesitant because I don't know what kind of information has been shared with management on how I am because people in management always talk about their "problem" employees.
Yet I gave her my trust and told her I will try my best and work with her and her team. The difference between how people were treated was night and day between these two managers.
The first week that I was with the bad manager, her people had a distinctly negative outlook. They had a separate group chat that didn't include her and the official chat room with her hardly had anyone talking. Even work related questions were in the group chat she wasn't in. I asked one time why it was like that and got the answer that is how it has always been because they didn't want her to know any problems or issues because she would turn into a micromanager at the slightest thing so they tried to figure out things on their own. It was already a red flag.
During the 1 month I was in her team I saw 3 people leave. When I got moved to a different team my replacement last 3 weeks before going on AWOL. It was that crazy. The dude didn't even resign and just opted to say one day fuck it and not report to work. Afterward, 2 other people are also leaving.
When I joined my new manager, everyone was very welcoming and you could feel the warmth of people. The majority of them have been there for over a year and the newer folks were treated with the same level of respect and warmth.
In fact, people were just downright comfortable with each other that meetings would turn into roast sessions. They also had a regular game day to promote camaraderie and encourage friendship. It showed when they had their meet up last December 5 almost everyone was there and you could see in their smiles genuine happiness and how they all missed each other.
So everything is going great and yet I am leaving them. It was such a hard decision. One that I contemplated over a week to make the final decision and when I made it I talked to my direct superiors to make it known.
The offer given by the other company was just too good to pass one no matter how I felt with my current team. The salary is a substantial increase and the benefits were just the cherry on the top that made me do a double-take and really consider it.
Ultimately I made the decision of what would be good for me and so I choose me this time.
