MANY Jamaicans, it is believed, are unhappy with their jobs, receiving more stress than monetary gains and yearning desperately to part company with their present employers. But yet they stay put like victims in abusive relationships. The remedy that some workplace psychologists and professionals recommend to escape this dead end is obvious but quite frightening in the current economic climate; quit your job as fast as possible.

More than half of respondents to an Observer online poll — up to press time on Friday — said they are unhappy with their current jobs.

Some persons choose to remain in such a situation for years due to reasons ranging from scepticism that there are better alternatives to total ignorance or denial that they are even in that quagmire. Still, others pack up and leave facing uncertainties in the viscious job market with peace of mind.

Charmaine Wright four months ago walked away from what appeared to be a lucrative job as marketing manager at one of the most profitable companies in Jamaica — National Commercial Bank. She resigned with no specific plans.

"I needed to leave because I was going to be unhappy if I stayed," Wright told Sunday Finance.

"My unhappiness was twofold: I felt as if my contribution was not valued and that I was beginning to go through the motions — not good for the organisation and not good for me," she said. "So I left while I was still happy and proud of my work."

Dr Leahcim Semaj, psychologist and principal of The JobBank, a company that specialises in providing consultancy services to workplaces, said persons who remain in a job that makes them unhappy are making a big mistake.

"The problem is that most Jamaicans, even when they're feeling like that, don't have the integrity to resign and leave, so what they tend to do is resign and stay... in their heart, they've quit but they're still going there to collect a cheque every month," explained Semaj.

"That's why for most people, redundancy is a 'blessing' — persons cheer because they wanted to leave anyway," he added, noting, "That mindset or behaviour could get you fired and then you end up with nothing."

It took Shelly-Ann Dunkley seven years to realise that she was not content with her job working as an accountant for one of the top home & hospitals in Manhattan, where she did reconciliations, general ledger work and was involved in the annual auditing process.

"All very exciting accounting work," quipped Dunkley.

"My routine was simple: wake up, take a bus, take two or three trains, walk a few blocks and I was at work, then repeat the next day...Through 100-degree weather or below-freezing weather, you had to be at work, and I was more than accommodating," she continued. "There were no evening projects or work to 'take home'; to some this might be a blessing but after a few years there, I wanted more."

She resigned that post and briefly occupied an accounting supervisor position at a women's clinic in New York, before deciding to call it quits again. By this time, the reasons for her dissatisfaction dawned on her: There was no room for growth or advancement at the organisations, where senior-level management had very low turnover; she had a need and desire for a job with better benefits and higher income; she wanted to be more involved in the decision- making process of the businesses; she was finding it difficult to deal with "frustrating" and "petulant" co-workers and bosses; and she had an "unrelenting desire" to contribute to Jamaica.

"It was during this time I decided to turn my love for the environment into something tangible — a magazine, sharing with people tips, ideas, ways and reasons why they should 'green' their routine," recalled Dunkley.

She subsequently returned home to Jamaica where she has been able to combine all her loves and find satisfaction in publishing her own environment magazine and playing an important role in her family-run business.

"Not only am I involved in the decision-making at ECCO Magazine but I am also involved in a family-owned business, Chemco Limited," noted Dunkley.

"These roles allow me to combine my passion and concern for the well-being of Jamaica's environment as well as be involved in every decision-making process for the companies, with my love for crunching numbers," she said.

But how does one know whether it's time to take that bold step? Semaj shared some telling signs (See table 1) that you should start thinking about making an exit. Among them are animosity towards one's boss or co-workers, a feeling of career stagnation and lost enthusiasm for the job.

"Those are some of the signs that are telling you 'this is not working out'," Semaj advised.

The psychologist believes a major factor contributing to the high level of dissatifaction among Jamaican workers is that a lot of employees don't have a career plan.

"Most people, if you ask them how they got their jobs, it's a series of accidents... very few people understood what their passion and interest were and structured something towards them," said Semaj, arguing that some persons "get in a job, start getting money and, before you know it, they're in too deep".

Marketing consultant Janice Allen said she never had a definitive career plan but always knew she wanted to become an entrepreneur. This, she said, made it easier for her to quit her 9-5 in the creative industries and set up her own company — Compass Consulting.

"Each person decided to step out at different times for different reasons; this is an extremely personal decision. From as far back as I can remember I had a desire to be my own boss," revealed Allen, noting that after nearly 13 years of gaining experience, it was simply the right time for her.

"I knew that in order to get to that point, I had to figure out exactly what I would do and be good at it in order to make a living from it. After working in both the public and private sectors ranging from telecommunications to tourism and the creative industries, I recognised that I loved everything and anything to do with public relations," she told Sunday Finance.

Allen admitted that she had 'cold feet' but emotional support from her family and friends helped her to muster up enough courage to take the bold step.

"I was terrified of stepping away from the security of a monthly salary, health benefits, and the comfort of being able to say 'I am employed'. But I had to!" she emphasised.

"So I stepped boldly out into a recession with the belief that Compass Consulting was set in the direction of success."

Wright also acknowledged the difficulty of the move.

"Leaving your job is traumatic, even if you are happy to do it. In my case it meant leaving people who I regard as family and friends, a position I had worked years for — and at great personal sacrifice — and a financial comfort level," she noted.

Not that anyone is suggesting an unhappy jobber should just quit cold turkey. Wright in fact noted that a person in that situation needs to ensure that they have a financial cushion before making the move.

"This is going to be essential as it may take longer to find a new position or start your own business," she advised.

That's what she did. And the former NCB marketing manager is now completing her MBA and enjoying the time off work as she plots her next move.

"I have no regrets," she said confidently.

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