Why people stay in bad jobs for a long period of time
When people are in a bad vocational setting, it would seem reasonable that they would continually look for a new situation so that they could move on to a new job. However, plenty of individuals stay for a long period in jobs that are not ideal. In some cases, people will actually stay in positions where they are generally unhappy every single day. Why would someone tolerate this sort of situation, particularly with the number of hours spent at work each week? Here are a few reasons that people stay in a bad job for a very long period of time.
Comfort and familiarity
Some people stay in a bad job because they are generally comfortable and they are used to handling their work. Of course, comfort may actually be a form of tolerance. The position may be less than ideal, but it is a familiar environment. Those who are in bad jobs know how to avoid certain people, how to deal with particular tasks, and how to tolerate predictable events. Certain workplaces may not suboptimal, but people who stay in the same place for a long time can predict what they are going to experience and therefore minimize the worst elements. If there are enough redeemable aspects in a job such as pay, environment or relationships, workers may just choose to stick around and put up with the downsides.
Fear of the unknown
If someone is in a bad situation, he could and probably should look for a new job. The problem is that a new job might actually be worse than the old job. While theoretically true, this may just be a poor excuse to avoid looking for something new. Still, a person doesn’t have to be a chronic pessimist to believe that, as the cliché says, “the grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence.” The trouble is, better or worse, new jobs typically cannot be gauged until they are actually started and experienced for a period of time. Therefore, some workers are afraid to look for a new job because their vocational life could turn out to be even worse.
Frustration as part of life
There are some individuals who do not look for a new job because they may believe that frustration and dissatisfaction is just part of the life of work. For some people, life is about going to a relatively poor job every day and complaining about it to co-workers around the water cooler or lunch table. Even good jobs have their periods of frustration or boredom, and that needs to be worked through, but some workers resign themselves to a life where they cannot even ponder the possibility of possessing a satisfying job.
Adjustments and adaptation
Ultimately, plenty of individuals stay in a bad job because they have simply adjusted to their life and they do not spend a great deal of energy thinking about a different vocational situation. Sometimes this may be motivated by a feeling of being trapped, but other times it may simply be the human ability to adapt to an environment. Some people enjoy their work, and others simply do their best to survive and make it to the end of the workday.
