‘Increasingly depressed America’: Ben Shapiro says more Americans are ‘aching for retirement’ because their work is ‘bad and unfulfilling’ — 3 tips to turn it around if he’s right about you

And he’s not necessarily wrong. A Gallup poll indicates that roughly 17.8% of U.S. adults are currently struggling with or being treated for depression, up seven percentage points since 2015. However, Gallup’s data indicates that rates are growing faster for women and younger Americans who are struggling with loneliness, job loss or lower incomes.

Meanwhile, 50% of employed Americans say they find their work enjoyable and less than half (47%) find their work fulfilling all or most of the time, according to Pew Research Center. Older workers with higher incomes, however, were more likely to find their job enjoyable and fulfilling.

In short, people may not be dissatisfied with their jobs as much as they’re dissatisfied with how much they’re paid.

It’s perhaps easy to see why someone like Shapiro, a 40-year old worth over $50 million, finds his work enjoyable: he gets well compensated for it. With that in mind, here are three ways you can turn things around if your work is working against you.

Consider a career switch

Staying in the same role for too long could be lowering your satisfaction with work. While job hopping typically has a negative connotation, there can be benefits to knowing when to move on to greener pastures.

In fact, a study by Side Hustles found those who switch jobs often are 64% more likely than long-term employees to feel like their career is progressing. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta also indicates that “job switchers” have seen faster wage growth than “job stayers” over the past five years.

So if you’re looking for better work and better pay, it may be time to fire up the job hunt.

Negotiate for better compensation

If you’re content in your role, you could improve satisfaction by simply asking for better compensation.

Only 32% of men and 28% of women asked for higher pay in 2023, according to Pew Research Center. A similar gap was highlighted regarding age: Only 19% of workers 65 and over said they didn’t feel comfortable asking for higher pay compared to 46% of workers ages 18 to 29.

Regardless of your age or gender, getting over this psychological barrier to pay negotiation can be essential for your work satisfaction. If there’s no roadmap you and your manager can agree on to get you to your desired salary, you may want to consider a job switch to improve your prospects.

Boost income with side hustles

If leaving your job and negotiating for better pay is off the table, you may want to consider a side venture. More than half of Americans (54%) have taken on side gigs to supplement their main source of income in the last year, according to a recent MarketWatch Guides study.

Beyond the flexibility and added pay, launching a side hustle can be a great way to indulge in a passion project without too much risk. For instance, If you’re keen on social/political commentary, launching a podcast in light of Shapiro’s observation could be a great way to demonstrate human agency and improve your professional satisfaction.