Should I quit my job or stay????
I’m in my mid-30s with a modest mortgage, a toddler, and a newborn, working in tech.
I started my paternity leave in March and only returned to work on 1 May after clearing some annual leave as well. Around mid-March, management announced there would be no bonus this year and only a minimal increment. Ironically, the announcement came just two hours after the company reported record 10-figure operating profits. Over the past 1.5 years, there have also been multiple rounds of quiet layoffs with very little transparency.
Recently, I managed to secure a new offer with roughly a 35% pay increase. My current role is relatively stable, but it comes with a mandatory full work-from-office setup and about 1.5 hours of travel each way daily. The new role is hybrid with a much shorter commute (~40 minutes), though it would likely be more demanding since it’s a different type of role altogether, which probably explains the higher compensation.
What’s making this decision harder is my manager. He used to be my colleague and has been covering as acting manager for the past 8 months after our previous boss left. He finally got officially promoted on 1 May, and honestly, he’s been good to the team. He had plans for restructuring the team, giving us more visibility, and mentioning he will be fighting for our promotions.
Part of me feels bad leaving right after his promotion, especially with a new baby at home. At the same time, the salary jump, hybrid arrangement, and reduced commute feel very difficult to ignore. I’m wondering whether stability is something I should prioritize more at this stage of life, or if this is exactly the kind of opportunity I should be taking.