Great Feedback Can Turn Around All 4 Reasons Why You Hate Your Job

In yesterday’s Fast Company online, blogger Gwen Morgan bottom lines the top 4 reasons people hate their jobs and disengage or leave. She aptly points out how bosses can communicate differently in order to make things better. I agree wholeheartedly. And I love these problems, because I see the everyday feedback process as offering specific fixes for all four of them!

While feedback wouldn’t be the first solution that that occurs to you when you’re thinking about “hate” factors, here’s how frequent, helpful feedback conversations can actually help you reverse the hate:

1. This Job is Pointless

Morgan suggests that managers explain each employee’s role and how it fits into the company’s vision and values. What more complete way to do this than in regular coaching conversations in which managers explain key goals and exchange feedback? Not the painful kind of feedback that creates more dissatisfaction–but a helpful conversation that continues on a frequent basis and invites the team member to ask questions and understand the impact they have and how to improve it.

2. My Boss is Terrible

Truly toxic bosses shouldn’t be tolerated anywhere, but feedback to clueless (but salvageable) bosses can make it clear how the company wants to treat people and provide lots of accountability conversations. If a boss is terrible, they get the message sooner and a positive replacement found. If the bad boss is interested in changing, you’re on the road to success by doing the only thing that will work–conducting frequent feedback and coaching conversations.

3. I Have No Life

This may be a result of a terrible boss inappropriately bugging people after hours or an overall culture problem. But if you welcome honest feedback from all team members about what they object to, employees and bosses together can come up with solutions for this hate factor. Although we live in a competitive, warp-speed work world, how is it that some hot, winning companies are able to work hard and fast while individuals still feel they have a life? The feeling of having no control of their lives is the worst part of it, and that can certainly be addressed through 2-way feedback.

4. This Culture is Toxic

The culture you create in your own work group is the most important culture for any employee. And you can go a long way in turning around your own mini-culture through frequent conversations with each & every direct report–to discuss goals and feedback in both directions. If you, the boss, are also caught up in a company-wide toxic culture, there are lots of feedback opportunities with your management team. As long as you and your team are meeting your goals, you will often be allowed you to do things differently. Your folks will feel that their group is different and better than other groups in the company. And with the positive outcomes you achieve, some of that may rub off upstairs.

Try everyday feedback as a way to crank up the love and lose the hate.

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