Have you ever thought the coffee shop down the street has better coffee than the one right next to your house? Or your neighbor has a better car than you do? Or maybe the company down the road can pay you more than you get paid at your current job? Everyone becomes victim to this thought process at some point in their life.
When you start to believe the theory of the grass being greener elsewhere is true, that’s when the productivity, positivity, and motivation tend to decline. For this reason, it’s important to reevaluate the positives of your current job before you fall into this trap. For example: an income stream, a team that gets along, a boss that puts you first, a stable company that isn’t going to become insolvent any time soon, a short drive to work or maybe even a long drive to work that allows you to collect your thoughts.
There are a few factors that you must think over and weigh when considering changing the employer:
- If a potential company that you’re interested in has higher wages, it is recommended to compare their benefit package with what you currently have. The practice says that sometimes, the cost for the same benefits (health, dental and vision insurance) is more expensive and counteracts the salary increase.
- Additionally, as an employee you must pay attention on the retirement systems that are offered by the potential employer that you interested in. Going from an employer that matches your 401k, 401a, etc., to a company that has no matching or deferred compensation programs, will certainly impact on your abilities to retire within a certain timeframe.
- It is also suggested to take your vesting period into account. If you’re vested after 1 year at your current employer and the “greener” company has a five (5) year vesting period, is it worth it?
- Lastly, it is not always the case, but the boomerang club doesn’t always work out, as many employers no longer feel obligated to rehire the individuals back; individuals that didn’t pass the loyalty test the first time. Boomerang Club refers to the situations when an individual jumps from one company to the other, realizes that the grass isn’t greener at the new company, and then tries to return to their previous employer.
This post isn’t meant to dissuade individuals from looking at other employers or options but to look at all the facts prior to making a switch, since even though today feels like you need a change, tomorrow you may feel different.