Dissatisfied at Work?

 

Finding clarity for yourself

To precisely name what makes you dissatisfied, consider these questions:

• Since when have you been telling yourself it will "surely get better soon"?

• How much energy does "venting" about your job take up in conversations with your friends and family?

 

The more space we give to dissatisfaction, the stronger it becomes. A solution-oriented mode allows us to call problems by their name and free ourselves.

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Supportive questions you can answer for yourself include:

• How long has this dissatisfaction already existed?

• What do you expect from your job? How do you want to feel at your workplace, and what impact do you want to make?

• If you could have one wish: where would you most like to work? What would you most like to do?

 

Should you like further support with this, you can find it through waldzeit Coaching with Kerstin.

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Preparing for a conversation with your boss

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Once you have successfully pinpointed the reasons for your dissatisfaction and noted them down, a next step may be to seek a conversation with your employer. You might wish to speak with your manager or perhaps the HR department. The sooner you can call your pain points and your desires by their name, the more constructive the conversation can be.

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Which activities bring you joy?

Even though you are currently dissatisfied in your profession, the atmosphere of the conversation with your superiors should remain constructive. To engage on equal footing and with the goal of a good solution for all parties involved, a positive opening can be helpful. This could, for example, be a list of those tasks that have already brought/continue to bring you joy in your current role. This gives your counterpart the opportunity to focus on available solutions.

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Where do you feel your strengths are already being utilised?

When tasks come easily to you, it is often an indication that you possess a strength in that area—be it something you have learned and practised for a long time, or a character strength developed since childhood or youth. To work competently in your profession, it is essential that your strengths are utilised. You can receive a Strengths Update here.

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Which activities are currently neglected?

Where else could you contribute your expertise and passions? Work is allowed to be enjoyable. Although in common parlance we often speak of "hard work" and—much like diligence—this carries a positive connotation, we should not forget that we achieve the best results where we can enter a state of "flow": the point where our skills meet our interests and appropriate challenges. If you can specifically name which activities are currently neglected, new tasks that bring you great joy may be found immediately.

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Which activities do not suit you at all?

For all parties (the company, your manager, and yourself), it leads to more effective results if you concentrate on activities that come easily to you, give you pleasure, and interest you. This does not mean that everything has to be easy from the very start (as you might soon become bored); induction usually includes an energy-intensive phase. However, if after some time you have found out what simply does not suit you, there are likely colleagues who have their strengths in that area and would be happy to take on those tasks.

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Which way of working works particularly well for you?

Some of us prefer to work in a structured manner and maintain a complete overview, while others like to proceed creatively or iteratively and are happy to explore diversions. Both have advantages and disadvantages—a good mix creates the best results. At this point, the question is: which way of working feels most natural to you personally? Perhaps you work with people who naturally prefer a structured approach and you are bursting with ideas but are repeatedly held back. This can lead to frustration on both sides. Developing an awareness of this can help to initiate a conversation and find a solution with superiors and the team.

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Where do you desire more feedback or exchange?

Managers are often occupied with their own to-do lists or assume their employees are managing well, when in truth you might desire more feedback or exchange. Would you like more feedback on your work to feel more secure about what is already going well and what you could still improve? Particularly due to increased remote working and asynchronous work patterns, it has become more important to schedule specific time slots for this and—if you have a need here—to address it.

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In which direction would you like to develop further?

Do you already have initial ideas about the direction your professional future could take? Often, there are opportunities for reorientation and development within the company itself. At this stage, you could actively approach your manager and ask whether they see possibilities for this within the current organisation. If not, you can have an honest exchange about the fact that you are seeking your long-term professional perspectives elsewhere.

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What is your intention?

To leave the conversation with a good feeling, it is crucial that you are aware of your intention. What do you want to achieve with the meeting? Do you intend to take direct action afterwards (e.g. to resign) or do you wish to engage in a non-binding exchange for now to get a feel for your options? If you like, record your intention in a single sentence and take it with you—this way, you will not lose track even during the conversation.

 

Have you found answers to all these questions? Then you are wonderfully prepared. The next step: making an appointment.

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Finding suitable further training

 

One of many possible ways out of professional dissatisfaction is further training. In which areas would you like to develop further, where would you like to specialise, and what brings you joy? Your professional development is usually also in the interest of the company, which is why, in some cases, the costs are covered or the training can even take place within the organisation.

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If you wish to pursue further education outside of your current job, an overview of options such as part-time distance learning or part-time retraining may be helpful. This allows you to use the orientation phase during your current employment to further your education according to your interests. Given the wide range of options available, preparatory self-reflection and research are essential for making the right decision – after all, you want to find the perfect fit and not start something new again after a year. Allow yourself the time needed for results that are effective in the long term.

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Updating application documents

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You wish to take a new direction and open up new perspectives for yourself. A potential step here is a new job. Do you already know where you want to go? If so, an up-to-date professional portfolio will help you; your CV and the description of your expertise should be brought up to speed. If you do not yet know the exact direction and want to use this phase as an opportunity to consider entirely new possibilities, you can opt for a coaching programme to accompany you through this valuable time and make the best possible use of this transition.

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Resignation

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Your decision has been made: you wish to resign. Whatever your next steps may be—whether it is a career break with a sabbatical or a trip around the world, a coaching programme to support you during your orientation phase, a move into self-employment, or a new job—the first step is to plan your resignation. To do this, you should keep an eye on your notice periods as well as potential financial support from the Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) in Germany or the AMS in Austria. The more informed you are, the more confident you can feel in your decisions.

The "searching mode" can be frustrating. When we find ourselves at a low point, it can often seem impossible to muster the energy required for a change of direction. Searching for yet another new job—and what am I even looking for? Self-employment—is that an option for me and, if so, with which focus? What do I want to change, what matters to me, and how can I begin using my existing competencies without having to start from scratch?

 

Entering "shaping mode"—take time for yourself.

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Since this searching mode drains so much time and energy, it can feel like magic to transition back into a proactive "shaping mode." If you do not yet know where your journey can or should lead, and you have had enough of endless trial and error, then waldzeit Coaching with Kerstin can provide the ideal support for you. With her, you will find the time and space to discover your first clear answers.

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It's not too late.