How To Tell Your Boss You’re Unhappy
It’s The Most Saddest Day Of The Year
Today is Blue Monday, otherwise known as the saddest day of the year. If you’re feeling a bit down in the dumps today, that’s completely fine. If you’re feeling overcome with joy, that’s also okay. Listen to your feelings and don’t dismiss them. Just know that you’re not alone.
January isn’t the best month. Along with poor weather, we’re all on a Christmas come down. We’ve stopped over indulging and the twinkly lights have gone. We feel tired, cranky and unhealthy. We force ourselves to get fit and eat healthy, which only makes us more tired and cranky and marginally more healthy.
There’s less cash laying around because we’ve gone a bit too over the top with the Christmas presents. But it was all in the name of fun. That being said, January is one of the best months to look for full time jobs. Companies have a better idea of what they need and whether they can afford to hire new team members. So if you’re looking to make a career change, then maybe now’s the time to get looking?
Could A Career Change Be Round The Corner For You?
Career changes can be scary at the best of times, never mind during a global pandemic. We’ve also seen the country enter yet another rescission, and we’re ploughing through yet another lockdown. So if you want to leave your job but don’t think you’ll have the financial means to do so, this can leave you in quite the pickle.
Job satisfaction, or in this case, dissatisfaction, is something the majority of us will come across during our working lives but it’s something you shouldn’t dwell on. You wouldn’t stay in an unhappy relationship so why stay unhappy in your career?
We live in an age where people are constantly aspiring for their dream job, work life balance is more important than ever, so you shouldn’t feel afraid or ashamed if you need to tell your boss you’re unhappy.
Your boss will more than likely want to hear your comments. This gives them a chance to improve and make work better for all their employees. This will also come in handy when finding new recruits. After all, nobody wants to work for a company that doesn’t care for their work force. It will only reflect badly on them, not you.
A Wristband That Tells Your Boss When You’re Unhappy
After a quick scour on the internet we found potentially one of the most weird and wonderful ideas yet. Introducing the Mood Beam. On first glance, you might mistake this silicone wristband for a Fitbit, but how wrong you would be. The one thing this does have in common is that it’s a form of wearable technology but it’s job doesn’t track heart rate or how many steps you complete in a day. This nifty device lets your employer track your emotional state.
The strap contains two buttons, one blue and one yellow. You’ve guessed it, you press blue for sad and yellow for happy.
Companies have started dishing the gadget out to employees working from home in the hope that they let them know when they’re experiencing these emotions. Bosses can then see online how workers are feeling and coping. This device helps managers stay in touch with their team and make sure they’re doing ok.
It’s great to see companies creating new and innovative ways to help stay connected to their teams mental health and wellbeing but should you not have the luxury of an advanced technological device, you’ll need to rely on the art of the conversation.
How To Tell Your Boss You’re Unhappy
So you’ve thought about it. But how do you act on it? Like you would with any regular meeting, schedule some time out of your day and ask for a short meeting with your manager or whoever is directly in charge of you. This could be a line manager of the CEO of the company, perhaps you’d feel more comfortable with someone for your HR department, choose the right person for you.
First off, a boss might be so busy that they simply haven’t noticed your unhappiness. Us humans have a tendency to say we’re ok when asked but this is often far from reality. So if you need a helping hand, we’ve devised a short but simple structure which gives you some tips and tricks for how to tell your boss you’re unhappy. You can follow this structure below.
Understand The Issues
Make a list. It’s best to be prepared. Spend time thinking about what you’re going to say and what you’d like to get across. Identify everything you do in your current role and pin point what it is you’re struggling with, that way you don’t go into the meeting with your boss and blurt out all of the negative thoughts you possess.
Prepare What You’re Going To Say
Treat this like a mock presentation. For each point you’ll be making, prepare a suggestion or idea that can help alleviate your stress or pressure. So think about what you’re unhappy with, why and how you think it could be changed. This will help you to stay focussed and will show your boss that you’ve taken real time to think about your problems carefully and constructively. Your boss will be happy to hear you’ve been proactive and taken the time to think of solutions. Your boss might even be able to get to work straight away on some ideas and can even help tackle the issues.
Schedule A Meeting
Plan head of time. Don’t spring a meeting on your boss with little to no notice. This meeting could take a large portion of time and you don’t want to feel rushed. Make sure you check their calendar to see if they’re free for the majority of the day.
Monitor Your Body Language
Just as you would a job interview or any high profile, important meeting, it’s key to stay professional. Your emotions are valid but remember your place. It’s important to monitor your body language. Maintain eye contact, sit up straight. Don’t forget your manners and thank your boss for taking the time to listen to you.
Explain Why You’re Unhappy
It might come as a surprise but your boss isn’t a mind reader. Don’t point the finger or place blame onto anyone, that will more than likely get you nowhere. Keep in mind, that positive mental attitude. Be honest about your feelings and let your boss know exactly how you feel but do so in a respectful manner.
Ask For Ideas
If you’ve thought about the problem many times but don’t have any solutions that’s also fine. Use your time to ask your boss if they have any ideas. Your boss will probably have a few suggestions and might even engage you in a brainstorming session to find the best solution for you.
Move Forward
Once the meeting has come to a natural end, use your time to move forward. Think about how any suggested changes are going to be implemented. In some cases, these ideas may need more planning, it could be a structural issue or something that needs to involve more of your team. Further meetings may be required, but this is a great starting point and you’d done all the hard work. You should feel a huge weight lifted off of your shoulders and change should start to happen. Please keep in mind this might not be an overnight solution and time may be needed for you to feel better. If this doesn’t happen within three months of your initial meeting then it may be time to look elsewhere.
How Ampios Can Help
If you’re struggling to keep morale up and need some extra support for your employees, then our team of dedicated specialists can help point you in the right direction. We can work with your people and can help align the overall vision and strategy of your company. If you need to get in touch, we’d love to have a chat. Give us a call on T: +44 (0)333 987 4672 or send us a message via our contact form.
