• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii

3

Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii

3

Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026
CommentaryLeadership

Why a low paycheck isn’t enough to leave a job

By
Mike Guerchon
Mike Guerchon
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Mike Guerchon
Mike Guerchon
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 21, 2015, 1:15 PM ET
Courtesy of Okta
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The Leadership Insider network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in business contribute answers to timely questions about careers and leadership. Today’s answer to the question: How do you know it’s the right time to switch jobs? is written by Mike Guerchon, chief people officer at Okta.

At my first job in HR over 20 years ago, my boss could often be heard saying, “The company ain’t your mama and daddy.” That message might prompt a laugh or two, but it’s an important one for employees to understand, particularly those considering a career change.

It’s not a company’s job to do your laundry or make you meals (no matter what startup perks may lead you to believe), and your company is certainly not obligated to make you happy or grow your career. Those are all your own responsibilities. That’s why when you’re considering leaving a company, you shouldn’t base your decision on current frustrations with your position or paycheck — those are temporary issues you should work with the company to address. Your main focus should be on the fundamentals: Do you enjoy your work? Do you believe in the company’s vision? Do you see yourself growing there? If you find yourself trying to figure out where you fall, ask yourself a few simple questions.

Am I just restless or stressed?
The easiest question to answer is, “Am I bored?” or on the flip side, “Am I overwhelmed?” In my experience, it’s often restlessness or stress that first prompts employees to consider looking for a new job. You can’t really run away from those problems. And those common frustrations can be short-lived — it’s likely your level of boredom or stress will change week to week and quarter to quarter depending on your workload and objectives. If you’re bored, you can always seek out more responsibilities or a job change within your company. If you’re completely underwater, you can talk to your manager about your workload or about bringing on additional team members.

Your relationship with your team (and company as a whole) will ebb and flow like any other relationship. You can’t spend all your time celebrating anniversaries or going on vacation — sometimes you have to struggle together. And just like a relationship, your position can evolve. If you’re uninspired or not challenged enough in your current role, there may be another opportunity within the company where you will flourish, particularly when a company is growing quickly. At Okta, we’ve had many folks promoted from within gaining greater responsibility or taking on entirely new roles in different departments. If you believe in the company and want to contribute to its long-term success, an internal move or a new assignment could be the cure.

See also: This is how long you should wait before quitting a job

What is the real problem?
You’re going to need a clear head before making any major decisions. If issues with your current job go beyond restlessness or stress, you need to determine the root problem and whether or not it can be solved where you are. Does it stem from issues with your boss or manager? Is it related to compensation? Are you worried the company doesn’t have a future?

To figure out the real problem — and make a decision about your future based on it — you’ll need to do some research and have some serious conversations (with yourself included). You wouldn’t take a new job without researching or talking to others about that company, so you shouldn’t leave yours without doing the same. Discuss your concerns around workload and salary — even company vision — with your managers. Read thought leadership pieces, see what’s being said in the news or on review sites like Glassdoor, and talk to trusted friends and colleagues to get their different perspectives on the company and your situation. If you have broader apprehensions about your company’s long-term sustainability, it’s good to get some unbiased outside opinions (without sharing anything confidential, of course).

Once you’ve done your research, take some time to noodle on your next steps. Take a vacation if you can and think about the problems you’re trying to solve completely outside of the office. You can’t make life- and career-level decisions while in a funk — you need thoughtful time behind it.

See also: 3 signs it’s time to switch jobs

Is it the company or leadership?
If you come out of your reflection period with legitimate concerns about the future of the company or its leadership team — the “it’s not me, it’s you” conclusion — then it’s time to go. Even if you’re content with your position and are on a solid growth trajectory, you won’t do your best work when you don’t have faith in the business as a whole. I loved my job and team at a Fortune 100 document services company, but after more than seven years working there, I knew the future of businesses manufacturing copy and fax machines wasn’t going to be bright. Now I lead the team at a company with a vision that I believe will take us 10, 20 or 50 years into the future.

If you believe in the company’s product and the trustworthiness and quality of the leadership team, it’s your responsibility to identify growth opportunities and advance your career. Your company won’t mother you, but if you’re going to stick around, you can — and should — proactively seek out new responsibilities and address your concerns head on to set yourself up for success. Be patient and give yourself some time.

 

About the Authors
By Mike Guerchon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bethany Cianciolo
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Commentary

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Commentary

2
Commentary250 Years of Innovation
America’s secret weapon isn’t just innovation — It’s the freedom to fail
By Keith KrachJuly 3, 2026
27 minutes ago
rn
CommentaryCryptocurrency
Former Iran director at NSC: Crypto legislation is a ticket to sanctions evasion
By Richard NephewJuly 2, 2026
20 hours ago
m
Commentary250 Years of Innovation
McKinsey chairs: Building a more resilient industrial base may require $2 trillion in investment
By Eric Kutcher and Shubham SinghalJuly 2, 2026
21 hours ago
em
Commentary250 Years of Innovation
America’s 250th birthday has Elon Musk and a record IPO. Its 15th had Alexander Hamilton — and a stock market bubble
By Owen LamontJuly 2, 2026
1 day ago
paramount
CommentaryAntitrust
How Paramount’s theater commitments could boost local economies across the nation
By Ike BrannonJuly 2, 2026
1 day ago
elon
CommentaryChina
China has 400 private space companies. The West is barely paying attention
By Rainer ZitelmannJuly 2, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
2 days ago
Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii
Success
Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
18 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 2, 2026
21 hours ago
Americans are escaping the U.S. for New Zealand where house prices have hit a new low—but only wealthy Americans with $3 million spare can invest
Success
Americans are escaping the U.S. for New Zealand where house prices have hit a new low—but only wealthy Americans with $3 million spare can invest
By Emma BurleighJuly 2, 2026
20 hours ago
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
Success
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 2, 2026
1 day ago
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
Law
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated PressJuly 2, 2026
17 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.