Should I resign or not?

[Gossgirl12]

Hi all,
Stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Currently employed in a GP surgery, worked my way up to senior level and have worked there for 5 years. Very low team morale, quite a toxic environment, certain staff members that make the job harder than it needs to be & I've just finished 4 weeks of sick leave due to stress. I enjoy my actual job role in general though, I enjoy the work.
Been offered a new job in another surgery, had the interview today & offered the job there & then, working with 2 of my old bosses but for less money, more travel & a step back in my career.
I'm really stuck with what to do. I'll be honest, my current job makes me miserable at times, a particular staff member is an absolute control freak but there's other days that are calm & enjoyable.
I'm awake at 3.30am tossing & turning over the decision I need to make. Will I regret it? The grass isn't always greener on the other side kind of thing. What do you think you'd do in this situation?

 

[Randy Marsh]

I'd take the new job if you can afford the pay cut.

 

[Clickbait]

I think you need to decide how unhappy the current job is making you/how much it’s affecting your mental health and well-being. Clearly you want to leave, but you might end up with same tit different place only you’ll be worse off in your career standing, financially, and with a work/life balance as you’ll be travelling more.

If you can cope until something else comes up I’d be inclined to stay. If you want to remain in the NHS, budgets will be known post-April and more jobs will be advertised. Don’t allow a few annoying colleagues to lead you to make a reactive and destructive move. Sadly it may not read well in interview if you take a step down and then explain it was because you found the old job too stressful/toxic. Resilience is probably the most prized skill in the NHS!

If however you’d honestly rather take a job chewing broken glass than spending another 6 months in your current role (I’ve been there!) then take it with an eye to moving on as soon as you can.

Either way, I’d look at understanding what your triggers are with others’ work behaviour, how you might tackle them about poor behaviour or develop coping mechanisms to carry on regardless. That’s not to diminish your feelings, but just to say that we spend so much time at work that having the ability to deal with bullshit is so helpful.

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

Life is to short to spend time being miserable. I would move. Your salary might end up catching up again within a few years

 

[Rxt156]

Your happiness is worth more than a salary

No point earning (for example) £80k and being absolutely miserable. I’d take the pay cut

 

[Gossgirl12]

Thank you all so much for your advice everyone. My old bosses at the new surgery have given me until Wednesday to think about it but have said they really would like to have me on board. Definitely at a point in my life where I can't really afford a pay cut given the financial crisis at the moment but do agree that happiness is worth more. Will have a think about it over the next few days but am torn between being sensible and staying where I am on a higher wage with less travel for now until something better comes up and resigning and taking the risk with the other job.

 

[discolisa]

This is very apt for me at the moment yet I'm over 20 years in, very unhappy and stressed out for probably the last 8 years. All of those "give it 6 months" add up! My main driver in staying is the money but it's getting beyond a joke now. It can start affecting your relationships, what you doing or don't do in your downtime, even who you are.
If it's truly that toxic, then go, you will not change a toxic environment. You have a good opportunity. I wish you all the best and hope I can take my own advice!! X

 

[hehehe]

With your experience can you negotiate higher pay at the new place? It's easier to negotiate when you have an offer.

Or negotiate with them a clear career progression/pay increase plan since for now it means you're stepping back.

I'm in favour of moving to the new place and making it work (provided you asked all the right questions during the hiring process, as I understand from my auntie who recently retired, GP practices have become hell to work at, so I don't know if you're moving to a better working culture in general?)

 

[Notworthy]

My initial reaction was take the job but as you've now said you're not sure you can afford it I'd recommend seriously looking at your budget and determining what you can afford to lose on your salary before jumping. Also get a clear idea of whether you can progress at some point. Meanwhile start looking for a new position, work takes up too much of our week for it not be somewhat pleasurable.

 

[Gossgirl12]

Bit of an update everyone, I've managed to negotiate a higher wage. I've also been advised that they are creating a new senior position that they've said my experience is perfect for so it's all worked out well. GP land in general is extremely difficult to work in currently but its made so much worse by a toxic working environment. The staff at the new practice have all been there between 10 and 20 years so I think that's a good sign, my old bosses who now work there have said they are both so much happier. This week since I've gone back from sick leave to my current role has been hell to put it politely so I'm handing in my notice on Monday thank you all so much for your advice x
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This is very apt for me at the moment yet I'm over 20 years in, very unhappy and stressed out for probably the last 8 years. All of those "give it 6 months" add up! My main driver in staying is the money but it's getting beyond a joke now. It can start affecting your relationships, what you doing or don't do in your downtime, even who you are.
If it's truly that toxic, then go, you will not change a toxic environment. You have a good opportunity. I wish you all the best and hope I can take my own advice!! X

8 years is a very long time to feel stressed, I'm about a year of stress in so far. I come home from work currently & I'm so moody that I don't even want to speak to anyone. I lie awake at night stressed, and I've always said, when I get to a point I dread going to work I need to leave so that's what I'm doing, jumping. Money is a huge factor for most at the moment, especially in the current climate and after the advice I've been given here it's made me realise that there's more to life and ways to make it work. I hope you get the courage to put yourself first soon and thank you for your lovely words x

 

[Notworthy]

Good for you. I've tagged you into another thread that may be helpful with your slightly more impoverished financially but richer overall, life.

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

Thank you for the update.

Sending you good luck and vibes for the future x