Since 2000, Gallup has polled millions of employees from over 200 countries to work out the answer to “do most people hate their jobs?”. They reported that 85% of all people hate their jobs.
Work has been reported more often a source of frustration than fulfilment for 90% of employees. Employees that don’t enjoy their jobs typically are “emotionally disconnected” and “disengaged”. Some countries in Asia and Africa have a much higher rate of “disengagement” but even more developed countries, such as the United States, has 70% of employees that hate their job.
The question begs to be asked. Why do so many people hate their jobs?
5 Things Forcing Employees to Resent Their Jobs
Longer Hours
Employees are expected to work longer and longer. Working weeks of over 50 hours (don’t forget to include travel time!!) is very typical for a lot of jobs. Due to the high competition for each job people feel they have to justify why they have this position and therefore work longer!
Trivial Work- Low Self Gratification
More and more “service jobs” (McJobs) are being filled by overqualified people. Technical positions are being shipped overseas to cheaper areas. This means employees are left with a gap not being filled. They do not feel like they are contributing what they can to society and are left with that empty feeling.
Not Rewarded for Hard Work
The majority of jobs still pay people based on how many hours they work. Employees sign a contract that says something like “I will work 45 hours a week, with an expectation to do more on some weekends”. The employee gets paid the same amount every month no matter how well they do they job.
Our Wages seem to be Going Down
“Each year my pay goes up (slightly) but every year it feels harder to do the same things I did last year”. I remember a colleague telling me this when I first started teaching.
This was around the same time that was reading and learning a lot about the world economy (because it never made any sense to me!) The short answer to this concern is that it is true… 100% true. Inflation means that our money doesn’t go as far each year, unless your employer hands out 10% pay rises (I’m not even joking about the amount – stay tuned for a future post about inflation… it’s frightening!)
Does Job Security Even Exist Anymore?
Remember employees don’t get paid extra for doing great work… well they may get fired if they don’t do their job well enough! I remember hearing Ross on friends saying that he got “tenure” at his job. I had no idea what this meant at the time, but it has historically been possible for people to get a job for life. People under 30 are probably not even aware this is (was) a thing!
So What Can You Do?
To be honest, there is a way out. The Internet has literally created a new era for human beings and it’s called “the information age”. Knowledge becomes information and information is money in today’s world. Therefore, all you need to get started is some knowledge about anything… and not even a lot because you can (and will) learn as you go.
If you were to work as hard on the Internet as you were at your job you would 100% be more successful (in terms of value you provide, self-gratification and money that you earn). There are lots of reasons for this but here are a few (to read more click here):
- It’s easy to build an online presence (Click here to build a website in the next 5 minutes)
- There are fewer barriers to starting your own online business compared to most businesses (you just need a laptop, or phone and internet connection)
- There are more people online every day = More money being spent online every day
- Make money by the second, not by the month.
One of the worst relationships we have is… using time to earn money. It has been ingrained into us that the best way to earn more money is to work harder and longer. It’s important to remember that if you have grown up with “formal education” you have been taught how to become an employee.
The information age creates so many NEW opportunities that our teachers, parents and their parents won’t even be aware of. It’s important to think carefully about where we receive our information from.
Are You Too Comfortable?
Do you really HATE your job? If you do that’s great! It’s so much easier to change something when we reeeeaaaaallllllly HATE it.
If you are one of those people (like me!) who actually quite enjoys their job but you feel like there is more to life than doing it for the next 20-50 years, then, unfortunately, your situation is harder. You are too comfortable right now so it makes changing very hard as you have to visualise your future self. EURGH I KNOW!
What a lot of people will do when they really hate their job is quit… and then find another one. The problem is that a few months or years down the line they are back in that same position. So they quit and find another one. I’m sure you get the idea.
So the bad news is you are likely to be unhappy with your current job situation (like 85% of people). The good news is there is a way out of the day to day grind, and no experience is necessary!
Do you Want to Change?
If you are ready to make a change you have to know that it will require more work of you right now. The key here is the words RIGHT NOW. It doesn’t mean you will have to work harder or longer forever (or even for too long).
The plan is to stop NEEDING to work full time. When this happens you will actually work a lot less. To get to this stage without giving your whole lifestyle up right now you will have to work harder initially.
I am currently putting in an extra 2 hours every day (Sarah keeps telling me off when I spend more- like right now… Coming Dear!!!), so note it doesn’t have to be a huge commitment. I have spoken to people that started with 5 hours a week and some that stayed up late each night to commit more time to their online business.
Just remember we want to separate ourselves from the time and money relationship. What you DO with that time is far more important. Unfortunately, when starting out it can seem overwhelming and hard to know what to actually do.
This is why I’ve started using Wealthy Affiliate. There is step-by-step training to help you get your online business up and running… no matter what you’re interested in! The support is amazing, any question will get answered quickly as there will be someone else that had the exact same thought before. You will 100% have support from at least one person too (me!)
If you have any questions or want to vent about something at work please leave them below. I’m sure that I can personally help you out as I have been there and done that!
Keep changing for the better,
Mike
If you are interested in seeing how I started my online business and the current training I am using then check out my #1 recommended program here.
It is a sad but true fact that most people hate their jobs. I could never find a job that I liked. I went through many of them. Each job would end in frustration. Not only for me but for my employers. They put time and effort into training people without thinking of ways to make the job more enjoyable in the long term. Then get stuck training a whole new person when the first one burns out.
You are right that we need to embrace the information age to break free of this burn out cycle. I don’t want to be a lightbulb in someone else’s lamp. Time for me to shine on my own for myself.
“I don’t want to be a lightbulb in someone else’s lamp. Time for me to shine on my own for myself.”
I love this… I may have to steal this in the future 🙂
I think you are so right about the frustration for the employers too. After putting people through training and giving their time it must be hard when things don’t work out for them too!
Something I just thought… I have never met the actual employer (or business owner) of any job I have ever had. I have only met employees that are a couple of rungs up the ladder to me. The person who made the ladder, so to speak, never seems to be around…
I wonder if the people that have interviewed me are aware of this too on some level and if that changes their opinion or motivation about their own job.
You got me thinking now Maryann!!
Thanks for your comments
Mike
I have retired from a job I actually loved. But, now I work online, and I sure wish I would have started this a lot sooner. I recommend anyone wanting to quit their job and work from home to be proactive and start now. Just a little time every day until you are ready to take a full time plunge, would help tremendously, because it does not happen over night (making an income online), just time. Great information and spot on!
That’s great to hear Leah!!
That is amazing advice too! I think a little and often is way better than doing loads or work in a week and not doing anything for the next month too.
Have you found any downsides to running an online business so far? It would be great to get some opinions about the other side to it.
Thanks
Mike
Thank you for this article.
Being in a job you do not like is a very stressful position to be in. So letting people know there are other choices is a good thing. Well done.
Thanks
Jennifer
Thanks Jennifer,
What do you currently do for a living? Have you started an online business already?
Mike
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the great tips and raising awareness here. Many people including me are in this vicious cycle that you called the “script”. Yeah, let’s go to school, get some good grades, graduate, find a nice paying job with great benefits, and we will live a long happy life thereafter. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth, and you raised some good points on how this script has failed us. Entrepreneurship is definitely a path to explore, and the online marketplace is flourishing. Could you please dig a bit into the many variants of online businesses we see today: e-commerce, drop shipping, affiliate marketing, …
Thanks for your time,
Thierry
Hi Thierry,
Thanks so much for your comment!
I certainly can dig into all of this, I will 100% be writing more detail in future posts too so thanks for the question!
There are different online businesses and ways to make an income online:
1. There are simple ways that trade time for money (but online) such as filling out surveys about new products or selling your services and freelancing online (create a website/ logo/ copywriting etc.)
2. Then there are e-commerce businesses which sell things online. An example of this is the Amazon FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon) business model. You can use Ali Baba (a place that can store, ship and produce all your products for you) to sell to people online through Amazon (this is such a popular way for people to buy physical products now!)
3. Drop shipping is pretty much the same as the above apart from you don’t own the products. You wait for an order to come in and then buy it at a lower price from somewhere else. The benefit is you don’t pay upfront costs. The downside is you don’t get as much of a “wholesale” discount from bulk buying.
4. Affiliate Marketing- making links to other peoples products and write about the product. This can be physical things such as gadgets or it can be information or other people’s courses.
5. Sell courses- You can create your own course and sell it to other people online.
There and benefits to all of the above and which way you choose to go is completely a personal choice. From what I understand about all of them is that it is easier through affiliate marketing (or eventually creating courses) to turn it into a more hands-off business eventually.
Top Tip- The best tip I can give anyone starting out online is to start becoming an “influencer” (people follow what you do) in your “niche” (your interest/ a specific topic). Make content that you enjoy e.g. blogs, youtube videos, podcasts, Instagram photos etc.
I hope this gives a brief way of creating money online. As I say I will make a much more thorough post into this soon too!
If any of this doesn’t make sense or if you have any more questions please let me know! I’m still learning too and I definitely do not know everything about online businesses but I keep learning and finding more out each day!
Mike
I really hate my job! to say the list. There are basically 3 reasons that make me hate my job so much;
1. The salary is too low, though am highly qualified, I feel am not getting enough to match my qualifications.
2. Too much work-though am not paid enough salary, the workload is just but too much.
3. No workers welfare- my employer tend to value the growth and running of his business but not his workers.
I have come to a conclusion that no one will ever pay you what you are worth except yourself.
I will have to give the online business a thought, thank you so much
Hi Ngoni,
I am sorry to hear that. It seems to be a common theme with a lot of the working world. It seems like many Employers can afford to pay lower wages and not look after their employees properly because of the high demand for each job in some areas.
I think it is a shame that people work so hard to get certain qualifications and into a job they thought they would like to do. They then find out it’s not what they thought and end up trapped in the position just to keep their lifestyle going and support their family.
It is one of the best things about an online business is that you do not need to change much to start. Just being consistent and putting a small amount of time into it each day adds up in the long run. You are completely in control of it and you will continue to learn.
Most people won’t continue with it though, so as long as you are consistent, add value to others and do some each day you cannot lose with an online business!
If you have any questions about how to start please do let me know and I’ll do my best to help.
Wishing you all the best.
Mike
Great article! I just started my online business two months ago. I have a day job that is fairly satisfying as jobs go. I work on my business most evenings and weekends right now. My hope is to succeed in the online world and perhaps retire early. For now, I am working hard and staying positive. Thanks for your very informative article. Take Care
Hi Angela,
Thanks for letting me know! That sounds brilliant. I think it’s something we can all do without having to give up our lifestyle. When people ask me how I find time to do it, I ask them how much TV they watch in one week… that normally solves that one for them!
Thanks for sharing, I will be sure to follow your journey. Please stay in touch
Mike
Hi Mike interesting articles,
I want to throw my two cents onto the table if I may.
First up I want to say that working conditions have deteriorated drastically over the last ten years. Really since the GFC hit companies tightened their belts and used it as an excuse to squeeze their employees. Political correctness and such things has also got everyone walking on eggshells which adds to the misery.
I really hope that the traditions of working for a company that doesn’t appreciate you is something which is dying out.
A lot of disruptive technology can be used by individuals just as well as by big companies to break free from the shackles of a big corporation or big government.
I am learning more and more about the digital nomad world and liking what I see more and more.
Hi Remy,
Thank you so much for you comments and such honest feelings!
I completely agree with you. To be fair I do not think it’s any companies fault that employees are feeling more and more like this. As you rightly point out the changes in political correctness and the crisis in 2008 are just 2 of the things that has affected everyone.
The way that the economic system has dealt with the the GFC, with quantitative easing (printing money) and lowering interest rates just shows that despite what they try to do to boost the economy people are still wary of it. To be honest from what I have learnt I don’t think anything has been fixed since the crisis (they have just put a plaster [band aid for the Americans] over it!)
I really do think the next time it happens (not if but when) it will have much bigger consequences for everyone. The best solution I can see is to gain financial education and take action.
“Prepare for the worst of times and you will only know good times”
One way that has been proven to be successful for people is online business’s/ digital nomads as you say. I’m learning more and more about it each day and I have really started to see the potential it has.
If you have any more questions or if I can help in any way, please let me know.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Mike
Hi Mike,
What a great article. I recently read a news report (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/more-older-americans-are-unretiring/) that shows how many people are also unhappy with their retirement.
It seems that 1) money and 2) boredom are forcing people to ‘un-retire’…
It appears that we hate our jobs and we hate our retirement, so basically most people can expect a very unhappy life.
I think we deserve better!
Entrepreneurship comes with many challenges, (all of which in the end make us better) however, I have rarely seen an entrepreneur who is not passionate and in love with what they do.
It seems crazy that while we find so much joy as entrepreneurs, the education system is still pushing a job-based system that everyone hates.
So I applaud you. you are promoting happiness as you share your passion for entrepreneurship. And that is a great quest you have.
I wish you well in your journey.
I also sent you a private message so we can connect via Facebook.
Continue being Awesome!
Tim Bennett
Hi Tim!
I completely 100% feel like you get me!
Thank you so much for your kind words, that has really made my day!
Funny enough my first blog was all about health, success and happiness. To be honest it was aimed more and more towards finding happiness and the number 1 thing to being truly happy is being in control of your own schedule.
The more I wrote and read the more I realised that until I can be in control of my own schedule, how am I ever going to help others do this and become truly happy.
I’m not even going to start about retirement here as it’ll just become a rant, but it’s great that I am meeting more and more like-minded people.
I look forward to reading more of your work and seeing how you get on in the near future!
Thanks again,
Mike