I was messaging someone recently and they were sharing their frustration with their coworkers and I responded with “People definitely ruin jobs”. Of course this is not true for everyone and there are quite a few people that make jobs better, but overall jobs do not ruin themselves it is the people around us that make us want to leave.
The Bad
Years ago, I was working for an organization and had suffered a major medical event and had limitations. I was transferred due to accommodations for my limitations and my new manager was not supportive. She challenged the doctor’s orders (something the HR department had never seen a manager do before). I should note this was before I worked in HR but a driving force to learn more about HR. She also frequently changed her stance on things such as my approved vacation and she tried to rescind the approval and more. I loved the work I did at the time, but she made it unbearable.
A time before that, I was being harassed by a coworker and I felt like I was the one being investigated, but that ended up working out how it was supposed to in the end, but I was almost to the point of quitting due to the harassment.
People Also Make the Jobs
I have been blessed to have some of the best coworkers at times as well. Some amazing managers too. One of my favorites is still my mentor even though we have not worked together in years. I love managers that let you be you but give you their honest feedback and recommendations to let you grow and be not only a better employee but a better person. Some coworkers are just as amazing. I have had some coworkers who reach out when they know stuff is going on in my personal life to see what is going on and show genuine friendship and concern. They show their concern in the office when a bad day is happening.
Can it be both?
It is both. The possibilities are endless. I have had amazing coworkers and bad managers, another time I had the best manager but the upper management made it challenging. In this case, I knew my manager had my back and felt appreciated and grew a lot. I hated leaving but my family needed me closer to home. When I had the manager who challenged my doctor’s note, I loved the coworkers I had, but my manager made the job unbearable for me during a time that I needed self-care. Remember, people can ruin jobs, but they can also make it the absolute best and I am forever grateful to those that make it the best.