It's International Friendship Day and this needs to be said.
Great work friends aren't enough.
Staying with awesome colleagues is not a good enough reason to stay in a role you hate or a company you can't stand.
YES, great friends make doing a mediocre job better, but they are a bandaid solution - what you really need is to find a better role that fits you brilliantly.
You deserve a job or business you love AND great people around you, not either or.
So why don't people go after both?
Apart from just loving their current colleagues, the major reason that comes up is that some people don't believe that the perfect combo exists - it seems impossible to have a great role AND great workmates.
They are stuck due to fear that they will leave their current job and ending up in another mediocre job but with sub-par colleagues - 'better the devil you know' syndrome.
Interestingly, the more you work to find someone that really suits you, the more likely you are to find people that really suit you. After all, they've been attracted to that team and workplace too!
Guilt is The other major reason for not moving on.
The worse the job or toxic work situation, the harder it can be to leave. The thought of leaving behind your favourite people is pretty awful.
I've often had clients that only started looking for a new job when their favourite work friend left. Before that, they didn't think they could (please note that their friend did leave, which gave them permission to get the hell out - win, win).
Personally, I've never had a job that I haven't made at least one great friend from but my actual roles have varied a lot in terms of how happy they made me.
No matter how much I've loved my colleagues (one place was such a love fest I got three farewells and cried buckets), I've always found new pals and the more suited the role, the more work soulmates I've found.
I tell myself this every time I've realised it is time to go on my next work adventure.
So think about it, is it worth doing awful (ly boring, unfulfilling) work, just because of your awesome colleagues?!
You deserve to thrive at work in every way!
Repeat after me...Work can be energising, challenging, fulfilling and feel good - with great colleagues.
xx Lara
