> If you're consistently the only one in the conversation who's miserable or even embarrassed to admit your job is bad, it's time to start interviewing.
Does this advice change if other people do think the job is bad?
Does this advice change if other people do think the job is bad?
I've worked at a few places where it became an Us versus Them situation. Like we were freedom fighters, struggling against the oligarchy. I don't know what else we could have done to maintain any semblance of morale. It wasn't healthy, but it was the best we could do other than quit. In one of those it was the economy that kept us there. I can't say why we did in the other cases.
The thing is when it's a "band together to survive" situation, once a couple people quit, everyone is rushing for the door. I think that's part of why turnover gets away from management so often. Everything is fine and then it's Not Fine before they even have time to notice it's happening, because they've been ignoring the warnings and signs as unactionable.
I selfishly hoped it would have meant the end of that company losing so much talent, but I lost that bet because of course ethically questionable remoras make big profits so long as there are big enough sharks in the water.
(ETA: I appreciate that job for a good salary and helping me get my down payment on my mortgage and some other things. Even if I sometimes still fight ulcers I believe to be from the stress of doing things I felt crossed some of my personal lines of ethics. Corporate life is a struggle.)