You know about the dreaded “situationship,” aka the toxic dating trend that blurs the line between turning casual and committed. But what about the workplace situationship? (Don’t worry: this one has nothing to do with romance, and everything to do with the horrendous job market.)
According to a recent survey by Zety called the Workplace Situationships Report, nearly half of Millennials feel they’re trapped in a “work situationship.” In other words, they’re in a toxic relationship with their job, experiencing dynamics comparable to dating stressors, such as mixed signals, uncertainty about the future, and a fear of calling it quits.
Here’s what the work situationship looks like in action.
What Is A Work Situationship?
Contrary to what it sounds like, a work situationship is not a casual romantic/sexual arrangement between two coworkers. Rather, it’s a toxic dynamic between an employee and the company they work for. And unfortunately, like in a traditional situationship, the toxicity goes both ways.
According to the survey, 59% of employees don’t see themselves settling down with their company for the long term. But that’s okay: 63% don’t believe their employer is committed to keeping them around, anyway. I mean, for one, 32% of employees believe there’s limited room for growth or future opportunities. And two, 23% feel unfulfilled or frustrated.
Sounds like your average situationship to me.
On top of that, 16% of workers feel more interchangeable than valued, while 16% do not feel their employer is invested in keeping them at all. And yet, many of them are still sticking around.
I’d say that’s pretty spot-on for a situationship of any sort: lack of clarity, no appreciation, tons of resentment, obvious dissatisfaction…But, hey! Free pizza on Fridays!
So…Why Do We Stay?
Many employers take advantage of their employees, causing them to feel insecure in their roles yet afraid they won’t find better elsewhere. I mean, have you seen the job market today?
It’s no surprise, then, why employees stay at a company that doesn’t actually care about them and their growth: likely for similar reasons we stay in romantic situationships.
According to the survey, 60% of employees remain loyal to their employers because of the financial stability they offer them. Another 47% stay out of comfort and familiarity. (I think many of us can say we’ve used that same justification when staying in a situationship.) Then, of course, others stay for the benefits (40%), the flexibility and remote work opportunities (35%), and the job market uncertainty (29%).
We also have the more lighthearted excuses, which sound like the “casual” workers in the mix (we’ve all witnessed these guys in the dating scene): 32% are satisfied with the present moment, but not thinking long-term; 15% are actively entertaining other options while not yet letting go of their current role; and 12% simply say “it’s complicated.”
If dating in your 20s were summed up in any way, it would be with the above stats.
As Zety’s Workplace Situationships Report states: “Workers are staying because bills need to be paid, and the external job market feels daunting. Financial survival, familiarity, and essential benefits are heavily outweighing the desire for actual career fulfillment right now. It’s not a professional romance; it’s a marriage of convenience dictated by economic reality.”
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