Should I leave my current job during this time of pandemic?

I have been a developer in my current company for 6yrs. and during my stay here I've learned a lot not just in web development but also in life. I enjoyed working with wonderful and amazing people/team in a great environment with great culture where I feel I'm comfortable, valued and salary is good too.

But since the start of 2nd quarter of this year everything changes because of the new management and new clients. Most of new project that we've handled we don't have much information about it and clients are hard to chase and doesn't give much details when we ask. So were just shooting in the dark. Clients also demands more and during the development lot's of changes made and new features added that are out of the project scope and we have to adjust again and that makes the project to go over budget.

I started to feel burnouts, lack of motivation going to work, stress. Still tried my very best to do each task that I was assigned and meet my deadlines but each day it gets harder and harder for me and the whole team.

Just this past 5 months some of our team members resigned because of

• burnouts
• stress
• lack of motivations
• lack of career development
• team don't get much appreciation about accomplishments

So my question is should I leave my current job and start to learn new things and improve my skills?

I have saved enough money to pay my rent and other bills like insurance, internet, food until the end of this year. But it keeps me worried that I will not have job and income.

Apologies for my bad English.

Thanks, keep safe and God Bless! :)

Comments

[DabolB - Brian Borg]

Hello PenAndPapers. I can relate, same situation you are. Looking for alternative jobs, but the salary isn't good and the pandamic is very fluid at the moment. You must consider when you find a new job, whether the new company is stable enough. If not, you will be one of the first layoffs when the 2nd or 3rd wave of the pandemic hits again. So my advise? I'm teaching myself that I cannot change people or the situation, but I CAN change my perspective. I'm learning how to say no. How to say can't do. How to play their game and say "with the current situation, I'm afraid that is not possible, lack of resources.. sorry!" You are responsible for YOUR own mental health. Nobody else. In 20 years within the same company, i feel the same ungratitude that you feel. At times I even heard phrases such as "nobody is irreplaceable" or "this is our business, we decide what is best". I've seen some of our best people get fired or at best, forced to leave the company. At the end of the day, we are just a payroll number. We are employed because they need us. What I'm trying to say is, give your 100%, but don't sweat blood. When it comes to tightening the belt, they won't look at your face or the sacrifices you've been through, you will just hear. I'm sorry, but <...>
Take care of your health, your values and self respect. Do your best, what is good for everyone, but if you are not 1,000% sure that you have a future in the new company, I would leave this pandemic settle first. Can't rain forever!!

[PenAndPapers]

Thank you Brian :)

[PenAndPapers]

Thanks Nadia, I'm still thinking about it :)

[PenAndPapers]

Thank you Felipe that means a lot :) God Bless

[ari dwi prayogo]

In the same condition too currently :")

[PenAndPapers]

Hi ari, if you dont mind may I ask if you have any plans for this kind of situation?

[hidden_dude]

Never leave a job unless you have another job offer already in place.

People who have employment gaps often seem unattractive to people hiring.

[PenAndPapers]

Thanks hidden_dude, I'll keep that in mind. :)

[Julia Flash]

I've been a big advocate of Working Agreements regardless of if your team is using scrum or not. blog.bonus.ly/working-agreements

Might feel weird asking for this but you won't regret it if you at least try and improve the culture by doing this exercise. It allows the team to speak to values rather than speak "vs" or "against" one another or management. Citing a paper of agreed upon values is way easier and will promote good health of team management. Sounds like things got a bit wackadoodle, which has been happening a lot this year with everyone. Keep your chin up and go with your gut!!

[PenAndPapers]

Thank you Julia :D

[Laszlo Toth]

Whatever you are doing in the end of the day( stay where you are or change your job) I have only one advice for your future.
Keep more savings for emergency money. It's probably not the last job where you will hesitate to stay. Basically 3 months left from this year and even if I would work in IT, I don't think 3 months of living cost savings is enough.

First time when I burned out, I didn't have even 1 month of savings. I wanted to quit, but couldn't, it was stressful and accepted offer what I wouldn't do if I have savings.
Next time when you have the right job, start saving more than 3 months! So much different between "can't do it" and do what is right to do.

[PenAndPapers]

Thank you Laszlo :D

[Laszlo Toth]

I see many of you suggest to looking for another job and stay in the recent job while there is no better.
My experience is (in theory) good advice but as soon as I have an interview I need to ask a day off or half day etc. I can't go for an interview without my bosses realizes what's going on.
So, I just wonder what is your experience? How do you manage to keep doing your job but in the same time do your best on interview?

[maffyew burch]

Half day holidays are a blessing, they have no right to ask what you are doing because it's your own permitted holidays! Can always come up with some excuse for the half day (car MOT, plumber/electrician at the house), or try and schedule an interview for dinner/5pm..

[🎧Cirphrank👣]

1. Try speaking to the administrative board about it. if that doesn't work
2. Seek for a new job while keeping this one as a bird in hand is worth a thousand in the bush. if that doesn't work out in 2 months. if that doesn't work
3. Use 40% of what you have saved up to begin a startup and swing into self-hosted freelancing big time, quit the current exhausting job after a month or two if you've landed 3 reasonable gigs as a freelancer.

I wish you bliss chief. God bless you.

[PenAndPapers]

Thank you Cirphrank