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Original poster

what's the longest you've been with one employer? how would you/did you feel about leaving?

16 replies

hatwoman · 22/12/2006 23:40

the longer I stay with my current organisation the more I become attached. In a non-sentimental way it's very family-like - it provokes strong feelings - good and bad - but feels familiar and safe. And ultimately I love the organisation. In fact I feel my identity has got a bit confused with it. anyone else had this and left?

OP posts:
MariNativityPlay · 22/12/2006 23:45

It sounds like it might also have a good p-e-n-s-i-o-n scheme hatwoman?
My lot could throw rocks at me but the pension scheme is so ace I'd have to win the lottery to actively look elsewhere (obv. job satisfaction is generally good, I know I'm lucky really).
I have torn myself away from a place I could have stayed forever "for the sake of my career" but that was pre-kids and the right move then. The organisation, although very similar to how you describe your current situation, was starting to change and went down the toilet spectacularly about 18 months later.
How truly stable is your set-up? How many key people moving on would destabilise it?

Original poster
hatwoman · 22/12/2006 23:50

it's a mixture - youngsters come and go; senior management come and go; and there's a core of people in the middle who hold it together. I've realised that's where I am and it's kind of good, kind of scarey. Once you enter the ranks of the holding it together crew you tend not to leave.

OP posts:
curiosity · 22/12/2006 23:50

I've been with the same organisation for 22 years.

The slightly longer leave and flexible hours means they have a very strong hold on me.

I don't love the organisation, but it does "good work". Morale is low for some, and the cycle of expecting more and more work for less reward grinds people down.

expatinscotland · 22/12/2006 23:51

7 years.

hunkermunker · 22/12/2006 23:55

I had loads of jobs when I was younger, then a period of out-of-workness when I was disabled with arthritis (properly disabled - with a badge and everything), then more temping, then one job I adored, but had satan's more evil mother as a boss, and now this one. I left the one with the evil boss after nearly two years - just resigned, no job to go to.

This one, I adore. It is incredibly flexible (they sent an email round before Christmas asking if we wanted to take several weeks unpaid leave over the summer because that's our quiet period - and they'll take the unpaid bit across our salary all year - handy for summer holidays when the boys are at school!). I can also buy a week's extra leave if I want to as well. And there's a good pension. And my colleagues are fab. And I love the work. I've been there since Feb 2003 and had two babies in that time

choosyfloosy · 22/12/2006 23:58

depends how you look at it - with the NHS ten years but never more than 2.5 years in one organisation within it.

best one was the one i left to come and live with dh. that's the only one i regretted at all.

Linnet · 23/12/2006 00:05

I spent 5 years in my first job then left to stay home with dd1. I've now been in the job I'm in now for 5 years and I'm starting to get restless. I now also have dd2 who I'd love to spend more time with but we need the money my job brings in plus the job is actually a good job which I like. But there have been a lot of changes lately and they're in the process of restructuring the pay which if it goes through means that I and a nearly all of my work collegues will lose potential income over the next three years so there is a lot of unsettlement at the moment and low morale.

It's a great job and the people on my work level are lovely but the management are not so great sadly.

wickedwinterwitch · 23/12/2006 00:15

I stayed with an employer for 5 years and was perfectly happy but I negotiated hard for two big pay rises that I would only otherwise have got by leaving and getting a salary increase ina new company. It was good. I quite like change and was very happy as an interim for a while after that though.

I've only been in my current job for 16 months but I'm comfortable and I like a lot of the people I work with and in my team so right now, it feels good. If I get compressed working agreed I'll never ever leave pretty much (that's full salary for fitting 35 hours into 4 days and taking the 5th day off).

I know what you mean about safe. I feel that even after 16 months, I have built up some credibility and respect and I'm in my comfort zone. That and 35 days holiday make it pretty unlikely tbh.

Sorry, I probably haven't answered your question hatwoman!

hunkermunker · 23/12/2006 00:19

That's what I do, WWW, compressed working - well, I will do after Christmas. I'll be working three weekdays and Sundays. Hope you get yours agreed.

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 23/12/2006 19:04

4 years at my last job and was ready to move on, on my 6th year in thisone and felt I should have gone last year, very fed up with a lot of the people I work with, got a new boss this time so hoping he will make his mark soon!

dinny · 23/12/2006 19:07

10 years - very very fond of my job (on a good day!) would hate to leave.

popsycal · 23/12/2006 19:12

neasrly 10 tears in current hob

Ripeberry · 29/12/2006 14:27

I was in my call-center job for a well known car insurance firm for 14yrs and only left when i went on maternity leave.
I was never allowed to get bored with my job as every 2yrs the management moved people around the office and got them to do different types of jobs so in a way i had lots of jobs in those 14yrs.
AB

emsiewill · 29/12/2006 14:35

Oooh this is v timely for me as I have just (1 week ago) left a job where I was very happy, well into my comfort zone, and I was in that "holding it together crew" that hatwoman so eloquently describes. I loved what I was doing, made many friends, the pay was good, and there was the most flexible working I have ever encountered...

...so, why on earth did you leave? I hear you cry. Well, another opportunity presented itself to me, and I just felt that it might never come up again.

And now, I'm really glad I made that decision, as 10 days after I handed my notice in, the company announced they are making 50 people redundant . The way the company has dealt with this (appallingly), along with the fact that after 3 Jan (day the redundant people will be told) the place won't be the same means that I am now sure I have done the right thing.

Ask me again in a month's time and I may tell you different of course...

SaggarClaus · 29/12/2006 14:40

I was in a job for 20 years.

Was pretty much like you hat - part of the glue that held everything together. But the company (massive company) were taken over and we all had to re-apply for our own jobs. At that point I realised that I didn't really want the job. I loved the people I worked with but the job itself wasn't doing it for me any more and I really didn't have any loyalty to the company - just my colleagues. I'd got a bit too comfortable I suppose (and the pension, first choice for holidays, great pay had helped a lot). The good redundancy package on offer swung it and I left. It was the best thing I ever did because most of the people who stayed hate working for the new employers.

rhubarbcat · 30/12/2006 00:38

9 years with the same company, good money, fnal salary pension scheme. The happiest day of my life was when I skipped out the door for the last time.

Left for a huge career change and went back to uni.

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