You might be investing a lot of time into your 9-5, but is it paying dividends for long-term success?
About 60% of people lack “quality jobs” offering fair pay and benefits, safe workplaces, growth opportunities, and more, according to a 2025 Gallup report.
The research, which surveyed more than 18,000 U.S. workers across industries, demographics, and employment types, noted that quality jobs are linked to higher satisfaction and well-being — yet 25% of employees said they had no potential for promotions or advancement.
The opportunity to grow at work is a core value for modern employees, Lana Peters, chief customer experience officer at performance management platform Klaar, tells Entrepreneur.
“Workers can determine if they’re in a high-quality job by looking at how frequently they receive feedback and coaching for career growth within the company,” Peters says. “Do managers deliver real-time feedback on your work and insights on how you can improve?”
Frequent conversations about feedback and goals can impact the trajectory of your career significantly — and managers should leverage AI and modern technology to make them as fruitful as possible, according to Peters.
In fact, Peters says that if your organization isn’t encouraging its leaders to use AI to free employees from manual work and drive individual growth, you might not have a quality job — and should consider taking steps to improve your working conditions.
For example, if you’re not receiving feedback as frequently as you’d like, explain to your manager that real-time feedback helps you thrive, Peters says.
If you do decide to move on to your next job opportunity, don’t hesitate to ask HR and the hiring manager questions about growth opportunities within their company and if they’ve recently adopted any technology that can improve the flow of work, Peters suggests.
“The answers can help you identify a good job in this volatile economy and job market,” Peters says.