Job Switching Doesn't Pay Like It Used To
Hello, and welcome back. In this edition we take a look at the shrinking pay-raise premium for changing jobs, communication-overload in the workplace, and the hardships, and hilarities, of working with your doppelganger.
This is a short version of The Wall Street Journal’s Careers & Leadership newsletter. Sign up here to get the full edition in your inbox every week.
The Pay Premium for Getting a New Job Is Shrinking
Job seekers had the leverage to demand bigger pay raises during last year’s red-hot job market, as companies competed to attract and retain talent. Now, switching jobs might still earn workers a raise, but a smaller one.
As the market shifts, fewer workers are dashing for the exits. Some workers worry they have missed the window to capitalize on the leverage employees once had over employers, while others are choosing to prioritize stability as employers gear up for an economic slowdown.
There Are Too Many Ways to (Mis)communicate at Work
Slack? Teams? Zoom? Email? There are so many ways to communicate at work that our communication is breaking down. Bosses say missed messages and crossed signals waste time and trigger mistakes, while research suggests that so much virtual communication makes it easier to snipe at or ignore co-workers. Then there’s the stress of having to stay on top of so many different channels all the time.
All of it makes one long for the days of complaining about email-inbox overload.
Bad News: Your Co-Worker Has the Same Name as You
Back in elementary school, sharing a name was mostly a minor annoyance. Then the Jens and Mikes of the world grew up, joined companies, and started receiving sealed envelopes containing excruciatingly detailed performance reviews. And instant messages demanding to know why they weren’t in the meeting. (What meeting?) And offers of sky-high salaries from recruiters on LinkedIn. None of it is meant for them.
“You’re kind of like, is this me? Is this about me?” says Chris Smith, once one of seven Chris Smiths at a company where he worked as a software engineer.
Elsewhere in the Journal
This is a condensed version of WSJ’s Careers & Leadership newsletter. Sign up here to get the WSJ’s comprehensive work coverage in your inbox each week.
This newsletter was curated by Vanessa Fuhrmans, deputy chief of WSJ's Careers & Workplace bureau. Let us know what you think by dropping us a note at careers@wsj.com.