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Prince Harry's advice about quitting a job slammed as 'out of touch'
Prince Harry has shared some career advice, saying he believes quitting a job for the sake of your mental health and happiness is "something to be celebrated".
The Duke of Sussex issued the advice on Monday for those stuck in jobs they don't love in his role as chief impact officer at Silicon Valley tech start-up BetterUp.
Harry joined BetterUp, a coaching and mental health firm, in March, around a year after he and wife Meghan Markle quit as senior royals and left the UK for the US.
In the Q&A, Harry said many people around the world are "stuck in jobs that don't bring them joy" but now they are "putting their mental health and happiness first" by quitting.
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He added that 'the great resignation' that is seeing many people leave jobs during the Covid pandemic "aren't all bad".
"While on the surface it looks like these last couple of years brought all these issues to the foreground, the reality is these struggles and issues have been brewing for quite some time," he told Fast Company.
"We’re just at the beginning of the mental health awakening. This work has never been more important because people are finally paying attention, and a big component of this mission is building awareness and continuing to pioneer the conversation.
"I’ve actually discovered recently, courtesy of a chat with [BetterUp science board member] Adam Grant, that a lot of the job resignations you mention aren’t all bad. In fact, it is a sign that with self-awareness comes the need for change. Many people around the world have been stuck in jobs that didn’t bring them joy, and now they’re putting their mental health and happiness first. This is something to be celebrated."
Harry's interview comes the same day as Prince William discussed his own mental health on an Apple audio walking tour.
Speaking about his job as an air ambulance helicopter pilot, he shared that rescuing a seriously injured child took a toll on his mental health, but he continued to work in the role.
Some weren't impressed by Harry's words with Scott Gallacher, director at chartered financial planners Rowley Turton in Leicester telling the Daily Mail: "Whilst I agree that none of us should be stuck in a job we hate, quitting without either a 'stuff it' emergency fund or a replacement job lined up would be foolhardy.
"Not all of us have a trust fund to fall back on. In addition to the immediate concerns of how would you pay your bills, there is the risk that if you get into financial difficulties you could damage your credit rating and therefore your longer-term financial future."
Royal biographer Angela Levin, author of 2018 book Harry: Conversations with the Prince, added: "Harry is utterly out of touch with people telling them to quit their jobs if they have mental health issues. Not everyone has £30million tucked away in the bank. I wonder if he'd give the same advice to people whose mental health is made worse by their marriage. Be quiet H, please."
When Harry took on the role as chief impact officer, he explained his decision, telling The Wall Street Journal: "I intend to help create impact in people’s lives. Proactive coaching provides endless possibilities for personal development, increased awareness, and an all-round better life."
The company's CEO has never revealed how Harry is paid for his role, however, Colin Plamondon, a US-based apps investor, has told the Mirror the royal's star appeal could mean he is getting paid between around $940,000 to $3,760,000 for the role including salary and equity.
The role is one of a number of new jobs Harry and Meghan have managed to secure since leaving the royal family in early 2020.
They have also signed multi-million dollar contracts with Netflix and Spotify and are investors in an ethical investment company.
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