Employment for life?

Author Tapan Rayaguru, Career Coach at Sunstone Business School

Should I continue to work for the same employer for life? Will I not be taken for granted?

How will I learn how other companies work? How can I leave, this is the only

organization I really know?

I have been asked questions on this theme over the years and I have not been able to

give a satisfactory answer yet. In fact, I don’t think I have been able to answer to my

own self as to what the right answer may be.

For me personally it has always been about the role and not as much the employer. Of

course, it helps if you identify with the vision of the organization you work with because

it provides fuel to your motivation irrespective of the specific role you perform in the

organization.

Let’s list out the pros and cons and see if that helps us think this through:

Pros

1. You understand and probably identify with the vision of the organization and it

makes sense to continue as long as the role variety and your contribution to the

organization is meaningful

2. You start to accumulate learning about the business, chips from being a good

performer, familiarity with the operations of the company that you carry from role to

role

3. Your organization continues to do well and is providing you opportunities for growth

both in terms of responsibilities as well as the perquisites that come with that

responsibility

4. Humans are social animals and having friends from work that go beyond the

workplace could be a significant factor as well

Cons

1. Too much familiarity tends to slow down learning even if there is avenue to learn

within the organization as you start to believe just because you have been here long

enough you know how everything works

2. Quite often one is insulated from environment changes around them cocooned in the

comfort of familiarity. It is entirely possible that this insulation could prevent you

from knowing what could go wrong with the organization itself. I am sure Blackberry

had several smart employees who should have seen it coming.

3. There is a chance that you take your employer for granted and don’t keep yourself

sharp with additional knowledge and skills that is essential to be not only successful

in your current role but also prepare yourself for higher responsibilities. This has the

tendency to fall into a vicious cycle where you also disqualify yourself from higher

responsibilities because you have not taken the time to get yourself ready for it.

4. Is there a chance that your employer takes you for granted? I shudder to think the

consequences of that if you don’t realize that it is happening right around you and

may be to you too!

5. Variety is the spice of life they say. Could you live with the feeling that you have not

really seen the rest of the world of business or even other organizations in the

industry?

I have not really answered anything here. Have I? Hopefully some light has been shed

for you to think this through as you consider making that decision to get out of the door

where you spend a large part of your life….