Feeling Stagnant in Your Job? Here Are Six Tips to Jumpstart Excitement and Engagement

Employees who have been in their current role for some time, may not have the same “spark” they had when they first started in their position. This can be due to several different factors, including an absence of advancement opportunities, lack of interest in your industry or feeling as though you don’t have anything left to learn in your role.

If you are experiencing this feeling, you are not alone. Oracle conducted a study on employee happiness and found that nearly 75% of workers find themselves trapped or bored in their current position.

When facing this feeling, it can be hard to figure out what the next step is to make sure you don’t get burnt out. Read our tips below to jump start your career no matter where you are in your professional journey.

Set and Communicate Goals

The first step to making a change, is figuring out what you want the future to look like and how you want it to differ compared to current times. Consider having a brainstorm session on your current job situation and set goals for the future.

Additionally, consider writing down all your goals on a piece of paper or a safe place where you will be reminded of them. According to the Dominican University of California, writing down your goals makes them 42% more effective than if you were to keep them in your head.

After figuring out and writing down your goals, give yourself time to complete them. For example, if you set your goals at the beginning of the year, check on them every couple of months and track progress.

It is also important to communicate goals to your manager. Consider having discussions about how the organization can help you reach your goals and be open to receiving both positive and negative feedback in relation to them.

Setting and working towards these goals could help you get out of a career slump and propel you to future success. Read our article on career goal setting to learn more about figuring out your career goals and communicating them in an effective manner.

Take on New Projects and Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone

A common problem with professionals who feel stagnant in their job is that their daily responsibilities and tasks have become too repetitive. This can be due to the pure nature of the job or lack of change in work from management.

To help address this problem, consider offering to help with new projects. This can be done by having a meeting with management to discuss the opportunities available, and express your interest in getting involved with new initiatives or projects going on in the organization.

If you start working on more projects, you may be introduced to new coworkers and different areas of the business. Forming these relationships at work can provide great professional networking opportunities within your organization.

Another benefit of taking on new projects is that it may help you get noticed by management. Vantage Circle found that 71% of executives believe that employee engagement is critical to company success. Offering your services and taking on new projects shows engagement and commitment to the organization, which could lead to promotions, raises and even possible management opportunities.

Develop New Skills and Refresh Old Ones

Another great way to get out of a work slump is to learn a new skill. Learning new skills not only helps your personal satisfaction, but it can also greatly improve your work quality which can help you stand out to upper management.

Learning skills is also very important in a technology-based world that we live in today. Technology is always changing which leads for more opportunities of learning for employees. Gartner reports that 58% of workers will require new skills to keep them at their current productivity level.

Here is a list of new skills that you could consider learning or improving at work:

• Coding
• UX Design
• Analytics
• Emotional Intelligence
• Creativity
• Time Management

Depending on your position, the skills that you learn may look different, but taking a dive into developing one of these skills may change the satisfaction of your career and re-energize you about your current position

Make New Connections at Work and in Your Industry

When you are in a role for an extended period of time, you have a chance of working with the same people every day.

One way to ignite engagement is to consider connecting with coworkers outside of your department. At work, it is easy to stick with your specific line of work and only communicate with direct team members. Branching out and talking with new people can lead to more excitement and happiness.

Here are some ways you can meet coworkers outside of your department:

• Attend company-sponsored events and activities
• Have lunch in the company’s communal spaces
• Introduce yourself to someone new
• Go out of your way to meet new employees

While it is great to meet workers outside of your department, it is also beneficial to meet others that share the same role as you, but at different organizations. Zippia reported that 79% of people believe that networking plays a vital role in their career progression. Meeting other peers in your field not only helps your professional career, but can even help your personal life.

Here are some ways you can make connections outside of your company:

• Connect with similar professionals on LinkedIn
• Attend industry specific meetings/conferences
• Join a professional association
• Reach out to college alumni

By attending events and joining organizations, you could find yourself with a whole new network of professionals in your industry. This can lead to career development, friendships and even open the door for great job opportunities.

Help Your Colleagues

Another way to make work more fulfilling, is to help out coworkers and form workplace relationships with them. According to a survey done by Forbes, employees who help others and form friendship in the workplace see a significant increase in workplace satisfaction compared to an employee that does not have workplace friendships.

When you are helping others, there is a high chance that those actions will be reciprocated by them, creating a sense of community

Here are some ways to help colleagues in the workplace:

• Reach out and ask extra help is needed on a project
• Ask to lead a project to elevate stress from a colleague
• Ask coworkers about their personal life
• Recognize coworker’s accomplishments

Consider doing these things to not only help your fellow coworkers, but also for your own wellbeing at work.

Consider a Move Inside or Outside of Your Company

If you find yourself making changes to get excited about work, and you aren’t seeing any results, it may be time to investigate a career move within your company or a whole new job entirely. This feeling is not uncommon, nearly 65% of currently employed professionals are looking for a new job or position as of 2022 according to Zippia.

If you want to stay at your organization, but have an interest in a different role, consider talking to employees from different departments to try to get an understanding of what your opportunities are out there. Some companies also have internal job boards where you can research all the latest postings and decide if any of them might be worth applying to.

If you are ready for a new organization or role entirely, consider looking at outside job boards or talking with recruiters to figure what the next best step is for you and your career.

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Feeling bored in a job can be disheartening and emotionally draining, but considering these tips may help you restart your career and lead you into a path of success.

Looking for a new career? Check out Hunter’s latest job postings here.