Why do we look for a change?

Change is the only constant in life. It is the only thing that makes us look forward to the next day of our life. So why is it then, when we say that we want to change jobs we get curious looks from all around us?

What makes us look for a change; look for another job? There could be a number of reasons, and could range from being personal in nature to professional growth. Exit interviews are a good way to realize why employees want to change or move from their existing profiles.

Most of the reasons for leaving an organisation have to do with the following broad heads:

Salary – one of the most important and motivation reasons people like you and me work, to earn money to spend on food, shelter and clothes. A lot of individuals are faced with the challenge of managing a house and its expenses, a family and their expenses and these can only be met if there is sufficient income. Salary is one of THE motivating factors for changing jobs.

Job Satisfaction – this is a very important aspect of an individual’s life as an employee. Every employee requires and strives for job satisfaction, satisfaction that they have done a good day’s work and are content with the results. After salary, job satisfaction is one of the major reasons why individuals look out for a change in their profiles.

Job Profile – another important reason for change is the current job profile that the individual is handling. Aspiring individuals are always on the look-out for different job profiles and added responsibilities and the drive within them to excel at this result in them looking out for changes in their job profiles especially if they do not receive these challenges in their present jobs.

Change in Career – at times an individual may want to change his/her career completely and start afresh with a different career path. This may be a result of boredom in his/her present assignment, no job satisfaction etc. These changes may be as drastic as going from an employee to a freelancer.

Lack of appreciation – appreciation and approval of a task well done is a motivation tool for each and every individual, whether he/she is an office boy, a clerk, a manager or a CEO. If there is no appreciation for a job well done then chances are that the individual becomes demotivated and his/her performance starts to deteriorate and result in no job satisfaction leading to being on the look-out for a change in his/her profile.

Manager / Supervisor – it is rightfully said that an employee leaves his/her manager/supervisor and not the company. This has been proven time and time again in all kinds of organisations where the manager has been instrumental in an employee leaving a well loved job profile in search for another with a better manager.

Performance – at times, the management of an organisation may ask an employee who is not performing upto the required standards of the organisation to leave the organisation and look out for another job.

Personal commitments – these types of commitments are usually faced by females; when they are work before marriage and after marriage they leave the city or due to family constraints do not work; transfer of their husband’s job to another city; maternity and child responsibilities; distance of job location from their residence; further education, etc

The above are some of the reasons that I have come across for an individual to leave their present job and look out for a change. The list above is in no way comprehensive and may include other reasons as well.