Why do you work where you work?

[dez1978]

Do you genuinely like where you work and would work there regardless of the pay? Do you work where you do because of the pay/benefts, but would leave in a second for something else? A little of both? I've worked for the state for 21 years. I do currently really like 75% of the things about my job, but the pay is horrendous and it's a fairly dangerous job. I stay becasue compared to many my insurance is good and I only have 8 years left until I can retire. I've been here too long to want to start over somewhere else. At this point I get a little over 4 weeks paid vacation, 12 sick days and 13 paid holidays per year. My kids are getting old enough where I can enjoy traveling with them, and I don't want to go back to only having a week off a year and 5 sick days.

 

[Keli]

I love the non-profit where I work because of the help we give every day to people in our community. Of course, like most non-profits, the money isn't really there. I could, without a doubt, make a lot more if I were to work somewhere else. But I feel such a happiness when I see the clients we've helped absolutely change their lives that I just don't want to work anywhere that I don't feel that way about my employer. Sometimes I get frustrated at the pay but when I weigh it all out I end up feeling like I want to stay where I am, at least so far I always have come to that conclusion. I hope I always do its a great place to work.

 

[martikus]

I used to work here because it was a nice place to work (state college job) and got paid decent and a lot of independence. I also have a great co-manager who is the yin to my yang.

the last 3 years have been tough and really questioning why I don’t leave like others as they no longer value what we do. My son graduates in 3 years so will stay until then. After that open to other things with hopes for better appreciation or at least pay. Will depend how long my current boss stays (really like him) too.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

I happened upon this job 12 years ago as my previous job was relocating and I didn't want to.

Started working at the parts counter. Am now regional operations manager.

To be honest every time I think to move on, I get a substantial raise and reason to stay. Guess they like me. LOL It's a bit of a drive to and from but I make good money and have pretty decent benefits. Heck i spend most of my day at a desk on here.

I don't love the job itself, but I've done far worse for far less. I've had quite a few fleet manger job offers from various companies and while I'll always give them the benefit of the doubt, if something better comes along, I will move on.

 

[Snowysmom]

I like my company because they have been flexible and understanding. I work the hours that are best for me and we can work from home since the pandemic hit. Even before that many people worked from home. When my DH passed I would told to take as long as I needed before coming back to work. I took off 2 months. I did help them out when issues came up and they needed me to walk them through a particular process. The problems are the pay is not as much as elsewhere but the stresses could be more at other places. I am a bit upset that while I was out on leave the person doing alot of my job changed things to her way of doing things and some of my job got taken by others. I asked to go back 30 hours a week temporarily which they were nice enough to agree to but then again, I was told that they may not even have 30 hours of work for me now. I was working 40 hours a week before so what happened to 10 hours of my job? I manage to keep busy 30 hours now. But, at some point, I may want to go back to 40 hours. I did tell my boss that the 30 hours would be temporary until I get all the legal and admin issues that I have to deal with, settled. He said he understood. I am 2-4 years from retirement depending on when I want to retire. I sure don't want to look for another job now and go through the entire learning process all over again. I like most of the people I work with and if it weren't for the hours issue I would be happy.

 

[tvguy]

My wife and I stayed with our jobs for over 40 years because we liked the work. If we had been financially smart we would have gone into the public sector, had better pay and benefits, and would have retired 10 years sooner. But I live in an area where public sector pay is generous.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'm currently a homemaker, but my longest job was substitute teaching, and I loved it! (And you definitely don't do that for the money. )

The biggest key for me was the flexibility and control I had over my schedule, but I also felt very welcomed and appreciated by the full-time teachers at my schools. I've always loved working with kids, and it made me feel involved in the community as well.

Of course, that job ended when schools shut down early in the pandemic, and then I stayed out to homeschool my "niece" and "nephew" last year. Now I'm taking a few virtual classes myself and figuring out what I want to do next.

 

[pookybean]

Im a state employee, i do like what i do and the people we help but i stay for the eventual (hopefully) student loan forgiveness. If that works out in 4 yrs I will decide if there is anything different I want to do but honestly I will probably stay for the pension. Im in my mid 40's and dont have much saved for retirement on my own. If I stay and retire at 65 I will be fully vested and along with my full pension I will have my health insurance covered for life. I would rather have an end goal than have to work until I die. I hope i will continue to like my position and what we do because i know that I don't want to move up in our department, more grief for not much more money. I do keep my eye out for openings within the state that might interest me though.

 

[ronandannette]

Do you genuinely like where you work and would work there regardless of the pay? Do you work where you do because of the pay/benefts, but would leave in a second for something else? A little of both? I've worked for the state for 21 years. I do currently really like 75% of the things about my job, but the pay is horrendous and it's a fairly dangerous job. I stay becasue compared to many my insurance is good and I only have 8 years left until I can retire. I've been here too long to want to start over somewhere else. At this point I get a little over 4 weeks paid vacation, 12 sick days and 13 paid holidays per year. My kids are getting old enough where I can enjoy traveling with them, and I don't want to go back to only having a week off a year and 5 sick days.

Short answer - hell no! I have a job that's impossible to love; customer service of a high-priced and very emotionally-charged product where the warranties run up to 10 years. It's certainly not for the faint-of-heart. I drifted my way into this particular industry 30-some years ago and have achieved a lot of success and respect locally. I'm demonstrably the "best one of whatever it is I am" in town and that's thanks to working for demonstrably the best company in our local industry. I'm fiercely proud of being part of it and of the stellar product we produce and the excellent service we provide. At my age and stage, I'm at the peak of my earning capacity and as my family's primary support, nothing is going to interfere with that.

There have been times in life I've wondered what I could have become if I'd actually had any ambition and drive in my formative years. I've also wondered what I would do if our financial needs were more flexible. No point to it really. My very happiest years were those I spent as a housewife when our DS was little. I never would have returned to work on my own steam if we hadn't needed the money.

 

[nene0182]

I work for a large company with over 10,000 employees in the finance division. I love the company. Do I wish I was paid more? Sure why not but I get paid well for what I do and I spend my days playing with numbers and talking to truck drivers. It’s something different everyday. They also provide a nice 401k match, profit sharing, variable pay bonus and a pension along with affordable health/vision/dental insurance. Right now in my life, I can’t imagine leaving the company to work somewhere else but I am exploring moving to a different role.

 

[Praying Colonel]

There was a time in my career I would bill a lot of hours and make my employer happy, but I'd done nothing to actually help anyone. I really missed working with individuals and helping them with their problems, and I'm lucky to have been able to do that for most of my career. I've had chances to do something different that would've paid better but I get a sense of fulfillment with my current job that I don't think I could get anywhere else.

 

[Disneylover99]

I genuinely love where I work, but I would not work there regardless of pay.

 

[2China2009]

I am a nurse and found my retirement job in September. Easy work at 32 hours a week. 8 he days and every other weekend. Pay is good and also benefits. Close to my house and nice co workers and residents. I just turned 50 and hope to go casual at 62.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Enjoy my work, could be paid more however,
Lovely coworkers. Supportive employer.

I have 6 weeks of vacation time, basically more sick leave than I would ever use unless I’m seriously ill, okay pension plan and benefits,

 

[sam_gordon]

I started at my employer during my 1st semester of my Junior year in college. It was a job in my major. I had planned to work there until I graduate, then move on to greener pastures. However, before I graduated I got engaged to a wonderful girl from the area. She didn't want to move away from her aging dad when we got married, so I stuck around. After 31 years, I have had multiple jobs in multiple departments and am now a department head. I'm generally happy. With (hopefully) only 14 more years to retirement, I don't see changing employers (limited in the area, so would probably have to move). I just hope my company agrees with my plans.

 

[sunshine1178]

No, I am actively looking to leave. There isn’t a mission and I can see that many of the competitors in the industry offer better benefits. Honestly, really disappointed in their pandemic policies too. It’s not worth risking my life for, but that’s what I’m doing.

 

[momz]

I am in my current job because it pays well. I have no other reason to stay

 

[VandVsmama]

I work for a Medicaid insurance company. I could go work elsewhere and get paid more than I earn at my current job. But the work-life balance is great. I don't have to travel anywhere, so I've been able to be at home every evening with my husband and kids. And that's a real blessing right there. Back when YDD was a baby, I was contracting for awhile and had to spend 50% of my time in a whole other STATE. That sucked big time.

There's hardly any overtime either at my current job, which is great. There's the occasional overtime required here and there, but it's not like prior jobs I've had where you're expected to work 60 hr/week all the time.

Ultimately, though, I've stayed at this current job because I feel like what I do makes a positive impact in my local community. Everyone here is totally 100% committed to doing whatever it takes in order to make sure that medically underserved Medicaid health plan members get access to the proper care that they need. They're 100% committed to treating every one of our Medicaid plan members JUST the same as if they had regular commercial insurance.

 

[LYSE]

I'm in it for the Money/benefits/work life balance/work from home, I plan on Leaving soon for for another company with very similar setup.

 

[disney4us2002]

Easy answer is that I am 22 months from retirement. I mostly like my job. I work for the state and there is too much bureaucracy but for the most part, I'm happy to help my clients and families build families and make a real difference.