An uncertain economy can sometimes make life in the workplace very tough.  As a result, it’s almost become a rarity to meet someone who likes their job.

However, many workers are willing to stay in stressful and unsatisfying positions for financial security, even if that means sacrificing their personal happiness.

In a survey, Kelly Services found that 66 percent of respondents plan to look for a new job during the next year. This highlights how discontented some employees are in their current capacities.

However, not every worker is willing to wait for a new opportunity – some people quit their jobs just to escape their daily routines.

Before taking such a drastic measure, though, employees should talk to their managers to see if there’s a way to improve workplace satisfaction.

Talking to Management

Telling your boss that you’re unhappy is never an easy task. After all, work isn’t always supposed to be a joyous occasion, and it’s probably more important to a supervisor that you’re productive.  However, many employers go to great lengths to ensure that their top contributors are content to reduce turnover.  Not to mention, happiness and motivation can enhance someone’s productivity.

If you’re deeply unsatisfied with your current job, request a meeting with your direct manager. Send an email stating that you’d like to speak about your performance. During the conference, you should be honest about your feelings while remaining professional. Don’t disparage your job and talk about how you think it’s beneath you or overstate how brutal it is to come to the office.

Simply state that you feel like you’re not thriving in your position and that you believe another job, not necessarily a promotion, would be more suited to your skills. Perhaps you can have some new duties added to your current job that make it more meaningful.

If a new position is what you seek, offer to complete additional business skills training so that your manager understands you don’t expect a new job to be handed to you.

When and how to Quit

Sometimes there’s nothing to be done and you have to quit. If your boss doesn’t offer to help you improve workplace satisfaction, then it’s time to resign. Ideally, you’d have a new position lined up so that you won’t be out of work, but that’s not always the case.

Carefully evaluate your finances to ensure you’ll have enough stability while conducting a job search. You can always take temporary or part-time work while searching for a new career.

According to Lifehacker, you should let your manager know as early possible that you intend to quit. Losing a contributor is always difficult and your company will have to put resources in place to pick up the slack after your departure.

As you complete your active employment for that company, Lifehacker notes that you shouldn’t stop working because you’re leaving. If your productivity plummets after serving your notice, you may hurt your professional reputation. An employer likely won’t give you a recommendation if you intentionally allow your performance to suffer.

Featured images:

License: Royalty Free or iStock

source: www.brafton.com

Scott Murray is the Social Learning Evangelist for TrainUp.com, the web’s largest career marketplace.  He is also a contributor to the Training Insights Blog, a series of blogs dedicated to career and professional development.