Kate* said “It was like a punch in the guts, after all I’ve done, how could he think it’s OK to say that to me, to say it to any of us?”
Kate is not alone. She works in a dynamic project team in a middle level management role in a large corporation that prides itself on being an employer of choice. As she was leaving the office last Tuesday (at around 7pm!) she mentioned to her manager “I’ll be in about 9ish in the morning as I have a medical appointment” to which he replied, without lifting his eyes from his computer screen “Can’t you do that outside business hours?”
In the lift Kate thought “Did he really say that?” When she called me for our coaching call she was in a state of disbelief and told me that it felt like a “punch in the guts”.
She went on to say: “You’d think working for an organization that holds itself up as an employer of choice would mean I’d be treated like an adult and with a bit more respect. My efforts just aren’t appreciated. Their Family Friendly and Work Life Balance policies are held up as being “cutting edge” and yet this sort of thing is the reality of my day-to-day experience. I cannot wait to get out of there.”
Is it any wonder that 85% of people working in jobs are “looking for new opportunities”? According to Talent Trends report for 2014.
“looking for new opportunities” has a whole new meaning in 2015. While many of the 85% who are “looking for new opportunities” are in fact looking for a new job the reality is that many are looking for alternate ways to create income for themselves. Turning a hobby onto a business. Starting a business.
I meet, talk to and work with women like Kate every day. Smart, intelligent, inspired, dynamic women who have talents, skills and experience who are marching out that door as fast as possible!
Many Corporate women and men are looking for an “exit strategy”, maybe a 1 – 2 year plan. They are doing their research, setting the foundations and then they will “take the leap”. This could be triggered by redundancy (less and less likely these days) or maternity leave and for some a significant birthday e.g. 35 or 40. And for the occasional person like Kate, there is just one too many “Can’t you do that outside business hours?” comment.
Corporate escapees are opting for the opportunity to start their own business. Creating something for themselves where every ounce of their personal effort goes into building their own thriving business, where they are truly able to juggle work, life, family and create a healthy life and lifestyle. Starting a business is seen by many as a viable alternative to changing jobs.
It’s not easy being in your own business and yet many prefer this path to remaining in a corporation or an organization where they are not treated with respect and their efforts is barely acknowledged.
Not everyone is cut out to be in business for themselves however for those who do take that road there truly has never been a better time for people to take control of their own destiny and create their own business.
We are living in exciting times!
*Kate is not her real name.