Awesome coworkers can turn a ho-hum work experience into heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to work we go! But when your awesome coworkers start leaving the company, what happens to you? Should you hang in and hope for a fresh batch of awesome coworkers? Should you leave, too? Is there something they’re seeing that you aren’t? Decisions, decisions!

• How important are your coworkers? For a lot of people, their coworkers “make” the job. They turn a tough day into a fun, or at least bearable, one. If the coworkers who “make” your job all leave, it’s going to impact your happiness, especially if they are replaced with people you like less. (Just think, how many times have you considered quitting over a hated boss or peer?) Your relationships with your coworkers impact not only your happiness, but also your performance, motivation, and morale. So there’s more at stake than meets the eye.
• Why are they leaving? It’s probably not coincidence that several of your coworkers are bailing in a short time frame. They might be seeing something you aren’t. This is often true if leadership leaves in droves; they are the first to know about impending policy changes, layoffs, or other critical information that will impact the company enough to make them seek other work. As for your peers, could it be they recognize non-competitive compensation, overly demanding work schedules, or a negative culture? Might you also be better off elsewhere?
• Can you be happy or fulfilled if you stay? If your coworkers are the ties that bind you to your job, you might be tempted to follow them out the door. But before you pack up your desk, take a look at how you relate to your work. Are you happy with your title, your duties, and your compensation? Do you have a good work-life balance? Is your boss supportive of your needs and goals? In a nutshell, could you be happy with what you have, even if your coworkers move on? Because the alternative—leaving—means opening up a universe of unknowns in addition to unknown coworkers, and you’re going to face that whether you stay or go.
• Should you stay or should you go? If you’ve read this article up to now, your gut is telling you something about your job and how you would feel about it if your coworkers left. You will know if you felt a “YES! I like my job and would still be able to enjoy it” when you read the last point. And you will know if you felt something else. If you’re not in love with your job, and you see little reason to stay if your awesome coworkers leave, it might be your time to move on, too. Or you can wait it out and see if you get awesome new coworkers who make your work life a little brighter!