Does anyone put up with a job they hate because the money is too good?

[BrinkofSunshine]

I recently had to make a decision whether to stay with my current company or take an offer for higher pay with a company that has a reputation for being rough to work for (I didn’t apply for a job with them, they contacted me). I realized that while a pay increase would be great, I love the team I work with, the projects I’m working on, and the company culture way too much to leave.

Hopefully if your current company is deciding on layoffs they’ll appreciate your loyalty and keep you.

 

[aprilgail]

Hated my job for 30 years- but money and benefits were to good to leave- I did get to retire at 50- have a good pensions, medical paid for the rest of my life, life insurance paid for the rest of my life so as far as I am concerned it was worth it.

 

[china mom]

I don't like or hate my current job right now but earlier this year, I was miserable due to a hostile work environment (bad supervisor ended up being forced out). But I have and will stay because I can't beat the benefits and short commute. The money is good but I could pay the bills without it (just tighten belts) but health insurance for a family of four was costing me $1200/mo before i landed this gig. I can't bet the 7 minute commute either. So, i will stick it out until the kids are out of the house / medicare kicks in.

 

[cabanafrau]

That would be crazy to do. Life goes by too fast to spend the day doing something hateful, especially for money.

For those who aren't independently wealthy it may not be that simple. I know several people who are in miserable positions that didn't start out that way. With the way corporate culture has shifted over the past 20 years many people find themselves doing the work performed by several people only a handful of years ago and stuck either with no comparable positions elsewhere to make a soft landing or another position with meager benefits. The top of the corporate ladder must keep the stock price looking shiny in order to maintain their own compensation packages after all. As long as Wall Street rewards headcount reduction as a fantastic business move in absolute terms the charade continues.

 

[mousefan73]

Interesting comments guys. No worries my job is safe and this is truly voluntary. This is why they are doing this. Head hunter services and a VERY good compensation package to get the expensive ones to go. It‘s complicated to explain, but I work not in the US and we cannot simply be fired. To fire me 1. our company has to be in the negative for a while. And implement a reduction plan 2. Fact I am with the company a long time and have kids means I would be one of the last to go.

 

[soccerdad72]

Not quite to the level of 'hate their job', but I put my wife in a similar situation. She is a partner in a Big 4 accounting firm and while she truly likes what she does, the stress and strain of the job itself as well as the work environment around her has made her reconsider her long term future. She has, however, looked at her pension and other incentive compensation statements and realized that the financial benefit of 'hanging in there' for a few more years with the firm outweighs her desire to move on and pursue something new. She's now hoping to make it to 50 (4 more years) and officially retire from the firm versus just leaving on her own.

 

[Scifidiner]

Yes. The culture of the company (Fortune 500) is a rah rah, gung ho, slightly insulting mentality. It works for those folks without a formal education I guess. I can easily see the company is merely trying to get the most amount of work from the fewest number of bodies. Anyway, I realize every job has negatives, if I took another job I'd deal with those negatives for less money. I want to retire ASAP and this job will get me there quicker.

 

[PamNC]

I don't hate my current job but I can't say it's my dream job either. But, I like the people I work with (now I do, the last 2 years, not so much). I've worked at the same company for 8 years and just this past April changed roles due to an awful culture and climate in the first department. I have to admit I stay because of the money and benefits though - not because I "love" it. I basically like it fine, not over the top excited about it, but I do love the culture in my new group. I'm a single woman so I have to think about the money first.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

Interesting comments guys. No worries my job is safe and this is truly voluntary. This is why they are doing this. Head hunter services and a VERY good compensation package to get the expensive ones to go. It‘s complicated to explain, but I work not in the US and we cannot simply be fired. To fire me 1. our company has to be in the negative for a while. And implement a reduction plan 2. Fact I am with the company a long time and have kids means I would be one of the last to go.

Sounds like exactly what has happened at my company recently...enough that it makes me wonder if we work for the same one. Over 40k employees were offered a package to go if they wanted. Up to 60 weeks of pay based on 3 weeks per year of service, full bonus (for many in the company we get 20% bonus) tacked on to your salary, in addition to the bonus itself paying out at 100% (some years we get 90% of the bonus, some years we might get more depending on how the company is doing). I looked at the number being offered to me (I only have 14 years of service so I didn't cap out at 60 weeks, but it was still a massive chunk of change equal to an entire year's pay and bonus for me).
I hate my job, I feel underappreciated for what I do, and the constant shifting of vision within the company has made me wary of the future. My boss was the saving grace for the job, but he's taking the package since he's worked for the company for 35 years. BUT I still didn't take the package because I get paid very well, get at 20% bonus, have great health insurance, and work in a building that's less than 10 minutes from my house. Plus starting over in another field (all that seems to be in my part of the state is Pharma, and I've been in tech for so long it seems like a no-go) is scary. So I'll continue to stay in a job I hate hoping that after 10k plus employees leave the company they might rearrange the teams enough that I'll get another promotion, or another role within the org and it won't be so bad. Part of me feels like I'm an idiot and I should have taken the money and run.

 

[tvguy]

No, but I'd be willing to give it a try in the couple of years before I retire.

Not that my workplace is perfect, but I'm doing what I like doing and I know I am making about $25,000 a year less than I could be. I haven't had a pay raise in 3 years.

When I got my Social Security benefit notice in the mail this year, I noticed I am making exactly $10,000 more in 2018 as I did in 1988. And that isn't factoring in inflation. But mine is an industry where you go entry level to top scale in about 5 years.

 

[LSUmiss]

That would be crazy to do. Life goes by too fast to spend the day doing something hateful, especially for money.

I agree. I have done it, but after my dad died unexpectedly without getting the opportunity to retire from a job he hated, I’ll never do it again unless I literally couldn’t feed my child. Took a significant pay cut to work at my current job, but the job is way less stressful & I only work 183 days a yr.

 

[LSUmiss]

For those who aren't independently wealthy it may not be that simple. I know several people who are in miserable positions that didn't start out that way. With the way corporate culture has shifted over the past 20 years many people find themselves doing the work performed by several people only a handful of years ago and stuck either with no comparable positions elsewhere to make a soft landing or another position with meager benefits. The top of the corporate ladder must keep the stock price looking shiny in order to maintain their own compensation packages after all. As long as Wall Street rewards headcount reduction as a fantastic business move in absolute terms the charade continues.

Sometimes it’s not about being independently wealthy but about deciding where your willing to sacrifice time/$ or happiness. I understand that some don’t have a choice no matter what they’re willing to sacrifice but others do. Personally, I’d rather cut back on expenses & be happier & less stressed than get paid more $. But, some ppl would rather tolerate a bad job for & have the $.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Every job I ever had.

Same!

I hate my profession so no job will change the situation
Ive worked part time most of the time until about 2 years ago when DS went to college , so now its worse than ever

Im too old to change careers but too young to retire