The sad part is that the company I'm working for now was really different when I first got hired on, but a change in management really killed everything good about the place. I miss the company that hired me and wish I could still work there, but the company as it exists now isn't worth my time.
I am still vocalizing my issues and asking for a resolution. Maybe something astounding will happen and they'll make it all right - but if they don't (and they won't), then I'll be able to walk away, and they'll know why.
Not working paycheck-to-paycheck helps a lot. I mentioned to my manager, after a pretty harsh diatribe about performance expectations that "conditional employment is a two-way street". She actually countered "We could replace you faster than you can replace us", which is a bullshit thing to say to an employee, but she certainly shut up when I told her "I can go without a job longer than you can go without me".
Tl;Dr: I should go ahead and quit for a new job, and then take the retired founder of my old employer out to lunch and tell him what a shitshow his company has turned into since his business partner took over. Also, don't let the sunken cost fallacy convince you to keep working at a sinking ship.
If you've actually been waiting 4 years for career development/promotions to materialize, I've got bad news for you.
Every minute you stay at this point is free work for them basically.
Early 2017 they made some serious promises of a promotion, which kept me there until now. Nothing has materialized, so I have escalated beyond polite nudging and I am applying for jobs.
They were a very different company in 2014-2015, and the company culture didn't really decline until 2016-2017.
I have no confidence in them to provide what I need, but I don't want to leave without making my concerns heard, and without giving them a chance to respond. At least then I know that they'll know why I left.
My biggest complaint is my new manager who treats her team like children. I actually care about the company enough to meet with the retired founder after I exit and let him know that his company is about to lose a lot more talent if they don't get things under control.
Far too many people keep holding out hope things will change, and get walked on in the process.
> I have now escalated my demands and made it clear that my career is not going the direction it needs to. I have laid out my conditions for further employment.
You're not going to win this one. Make your plans and walk away when you have a good offer.