Communicate Dissatisfaction to Management
Communicating your dissatisfaction to management can be a very complicated matter. You don’t want it to appear that you’re whining or making idle complaints - however, if you are truly dissatisfied with a certain aspect of your job or your work environment and your manager can do something to make a difference, you’ll definitely want to bring it to his or her attention. So how do you broach such a touchy subject as dissatisfaction with your manager?Many people will avoid talking to their managers about anything, much less being dissatisfied, out of fear. It’s important to keep in mind that it’s to a manager’s benefit if their employees are as content with and challenged by their work as possible. If this isn’t the case with you, they would much rather know and attempt to change that than go through the process of recruiting, hiring and training a new employee to replace you. So remember that when you schedule a meeting with the boss…but you’ll still want to prepare yourself for the best possible outcome.Think carefully about what you want to say, and why you’re there. What specifically are you dissatisfied about? Is your complaint legitimate? Have you gone through the proper channels or taken steps on your own to improve the situation? Do you have any ideas that you might need your manager’s help to implement? Your manager should be receptive to your concerns regardless of your approach, but they’ll be even more so if you include solutions and not just complaints.For example, if you’re starting to feel bored or uninterested in your work, tell your manager that you are interested in taking on new tasks or responsibilities. They’ll be impressed with your initiative and if the opportunities are available, they’ll be glad to have a volunteer. If your dissatisfaction is related to a difficult co-worker, be sure that you’ve taken steps on your own to resolve the problem. Be specific about what you’ve observed and how it affects your work and possibly others, and willing to participate in a discussion with your manager and the co-worker if that is suggested.Managers spend a good deal of their time dealing with issues and conflict, and are always thrilled when an employee comes to them focused on the solution instead of the problem. Be professional in your communication and be ready to bring your ideas to the table, and you should find your manager ready to help remedy your dissatisfaction - because you’ve proven yourself to be an employee they want to keep happy and keep around.
