A New York comedian believes America’s growing workplace misery could be a warning sign of something bigger. After noticing that nearly everyone he talks to seems unhappy with their job, he says the trend feels less like normal burnout and more like a looming recession indicator.
Mike Mancusi (@mikemancusi) says that everybody he knows “hates their job.” He goes on to say that he doesn’t remember a time in his life when people unanimously hated their jobs. As Mike says, nobody is ever happy about the fact that they need to work. That’s fair. But he says this is something different. He points out, “I really don’t think anyone is happy right now.”
Mike says he speaks to many people who work at different jobs, organizations, and government entities. He says he concluded that literally nobody is truly “happy” with their jobs. As Mike points out, this could be a good indicator that things are going to get worse in many industries. He said people who hate working in certain industries aren’t satisfied and that’s fair. But he said he’s also spoken to people who were initially following their dreams, and they aren’t happy, either.
Mike says he hasn’t spoken to anybody who is feeling good about where they’re at in their jobs, and that points to the bigger issue. Because if the people who are working their alleged dream jobs are also unhappy, then will productivity drop? Will it end in high turnover rates? As he says, he hasn’t spoken to anybody who says their “company treats them well” or tells him, “Everything is great right now.”
Commenters flocked to the comments of Mike’s video to share their own opinions on the matter. One commenter quipped, “70% of me wants to get fired.” Another asked, “Poor management, unrealistic goals, overworked, made to feel guilty for taking PTO, who would want to work?”
Other commenters pointed out that there are several reasons why they think this is happening. They shared their opinions on the matter. As one commenter explains, “I think it’s the fact that we’re not making enough money to survive anymore. Groceries, gas, rent, everything is so expensive. I used to be able to afford to have a bit of money after rent, bills, etc. to have ‘fun’ or ‘extras.’ Now I’m literally barely surviving day to day. I’m working poor now.” Others agree with her, stating that they’re going through the same thing. Commenters continue to pour into Mike’s video, sharing their own personal stories and connecting over what they experience in the workplace.
