Should I stay, or should I go? Dissecting comfort-zone inertia and the price of loyalty

AS SOMEONE who is on my third job in 12 years, I know what it feels like to stay for slightly longer periods at the same company.

Not having been educated in the approach of switching jobs every two or three years to keep yourself agile and (perhaps crucially) your pay going up sustainably, I instead took the old-school mentality of staying put, learning as much as I can and growing in the company – hoping to be rewarded for my loyalty.

These companies were mostly places I was reasonably happy working for – I found the work I was doing meaningful; the people I worked with friendly enough; and I was able to get by on the wages I was being paid.