What to do when your job loses its spark
“I have lost passion for my job. How do I bring this up with my boss?” Our experts give their best advice.
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“I have lost passion for my job. How do I bring this up with my boss?”
Careers’ panel of expert recruiters answers a reader’s question each week. Have a question? Email careers_qs@news.com.au
Lisa Morris
Director, Hays
Your best approach is to be honest with your boss and explain why you have lost your passion for your job.
For example, are you no longer challenged, have your duties recently changed or do you feel under appreciated?
Then share with your boss ways you could reignite your passion for your job.
Rather than simply presenting them with the problem, you are then also providing a solution.
For example, could you upskill to add new duties to your remit, automate the more repetitive aspects of your job, work on a stretch project or ask for more challenging tasks?
Alternatively, is there a particular niche area of your job that you relish performing and would like to focus on more?
Most managers are willing to work with valued employees on altering their job description and advancing their skills to retain them.
However, if you find that there is no flexibility to alter your remit, perhaps it’s time to look for a new opportunity elsewhere. Good luck.
Alexandra Rosser
Head of Organisational Psychology Consulting, Stillwell Management Consultants
Rather than informing your boss that you have lost passion, you are better to proactively and positively ask for changes to your work/role that you believe could reignite your mojo.
This requires determining when and why you lost your passion: is it the nature of the work, the working conditions/culture, the pace or load, or are competing priorities in your personal life causing the problem?
You should then strategise potential solutions that you could raise with your boss whether that includes more challenges, a lateral move into another area of the business, more/less people-interaction, greater flexibility or even some time off to have a break or to pursue other passions.
Andrew Sullivan
Managing director, Sullivan Consulting
When, how and even if you raise this topic with your boss depends a lot on the relationship between you.
Even where you have a positive working relationship with your boss, I’d recommend caution before raising your concern as you could simply be putting a target on your own back.
Consider why you have lost passion for your job and how you can refresh your passion.
Is telling your boss going to help achieve that?
One idea might be to approach your boss to suggest new projects you could tackle as a way of trying to re-spark your love of the job.
Justin Hinora
Executive consultant, Hender Consulting
Rather than lumping any burden on your boss, consider whether there may be opportunities to make your role more interesting and enjoyable.
Be proactive and give thought to how you might be able to take on other responsibilities above and beyond your current role.
Assuming you are committed to continue working with the organisation, have an honest conversation about some of the ways you believe your role can be changed in order to get the best out of you.
If there are no other options, then it’s time to consider making a move.
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