How much of your energy each day do you spend on work?
Not just the work you’re paid to do, but the energy you spend off the clock.
The energy spent laying awake at night dreading the work day ahead. The energy spent wishing you were driving to literally anywhere else but work. The time spent mustering up the courage to talk to your boss, worrying how they’ll punish you for speaking.
The energy spent thinking:
“How will my boss set me up for failure today?”
“What will I do ‘wrong’ today?”
“Will my boss just make something up to be mad about today?”
“Why am I being treated this way?”
It may surprise you how much of your energy, on and off the clock, can be drained by having a boss who mistreats you, belittles you, refuses to engage with you constructively, or perhaps even discriminates against you. And it can feel like there’s no way it will stop—your boss is the one you are supposed to turn to if you have a problem, right?
Not just the work you’re paid to do, but the energy you spend off the clock.
The energy spent laying awake at night dreading the work day ahead. The energy spent wishing you were driving to literally anywhere else but work. The time spent mustering up the courage to talk to your boss, worrying how they’ll punish you for speaking.
The energy spent thinking:
“How will my boss set me up for failure today?”
“What will I do ‘wrong’ today?”
“Will my boss just make something up to be mad about today?”
“Why am I being treated this way?”
It may surprise you how much of your energy, on and off the clock, can be drained by having a boss who mistreats you, belittles you, refuses to engage with you constructively, or perhaps even discriminates against you. And it can feel like there’s no way it will stop—your boss is the one you are supposed to turn to if you have a problem, right?
But what if your boss IS the problem? Who can you turn to when your problems at work are sanctioned by the person who is supposed to help? When something is wrong at work and the boss either won’t listen or is actively responsible for what is wrong, sometimes we need to go higher up with our concerns. That can mean the boss of the boss. Or if they won’t listen to you, that might mean the boss of the boss of the boss. Or if THEY won’t listen to you, it might mean someone even higher up, or perhaps looking outside of the chain of command at work.
We deserve to work (at the ABSOLUTE minimum) with the confidence that we will be physically safe, fairly treated, and treated with dignity and respect. But sometimes, to advocate for our most fundamental rights, we need to light a fire under someone’s ass. But whose?
Does this concern need to be escalated to…
The Boss? Will the boss in question be receptive to you letting them know what’s going on? Or do you fear they will retaliate?
A Trusted Authority Figure? Is there a safe higher up who you trust, like an assistant manager, another department head, etc.? Will they do something about the issue, or will they side with the boss (or even report what you said to the boss)?
We deserve to work (at the ABSOLUTE minimum) with the confidence that we will be physically safe, fairly treated, and treated with dignity and respect. But sometimes, to advocate for our most fundamental rights, we need to light a fire under someone’s ass. But whose?
Does this concern need to be escalated to…
The Boss? Will the boss in question be receptive to you letting them know what’s going on? Or do you fear they will retaliate?
A Trusted Authority Figure? Is there a safe higher up who you trust, like an assistant manager, another department head, etc.? Will they do something about the issue, or will they side with the boss (or even report what you said to the boss)?
HR? Do you trust your employee support staff or HR department to help? Will they provide you with assistance, or will they never email you back? HR is (ideally) a department meant to protect employees, but at the end of the day its true purpose is to protect the company.
Someone Even Higher Up? Is it feasible to go even higher? Will you be listened to, or will your concerns be sent into the void and never seen again?
My hope is that any or all of these options hear you out, take accountability, and indicate that they are going to make changes.
But what if absolutely nobody in your organization will listen to you? What if they promise change, but don’t follow through? What if your employer is so huge that it sees you as just a face in the crowd? What if the issue you’re seeing is not just coming from one person, but from the entire system?
If you can’t light that fire by yourself, it may help to call people who do it for a living, such as…
A Union Leader? Workers’ unions are put in place to advocate for and protect employees. They also provide an avenue for communication with the company itself to inspire direct changes.
Someone Even Higher Up? Is it feasible to go even higher? Will you be listened to, or will your concerns be sent into the void and never seen again?
My hope is that any or all of these options hear you out, take accountability, and indicate that they are going to make changes.
But what if absolutely nobody in your organization will listen to you? What if they promise change, but don’t follow through? What if your employer is so huge that it sees you as just a face in the crowd? What if the issue you’re seeing is not just coming from one person, but from the entire system?
If you can’t light that fire by yourself, it may help to call people who do it for a living, such as…
A Union Leader? Workers’ unions are put in place to advocate for and protect employees. They also provide an avenue for communication with the company itself to inspire direct changes.
The EEOC
Do you think your treatment may be discriminatory in nature? Do you seem to be singled out because of your race, sex, disability status, age, or any other aspects of you as a human being? The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (or EEOC) exists to enforce federal laws that prevent unlawful discrimination. It also has a handy list of prohibited practices that may provoke legal action. But even if you are not 100% certain whether your situation is considered discrimination, submitting an inquiry online will connect you with a representative who will listen to you and tell you what can be done (and they will not alert your employer about your inquiry).
OSHA
Do you feel physically unsafe at work? Are required safety measures not being taken? Do you spend the work day on your toes waiting for an accident to happen? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) exists to promote workplace safety and prevent retaliation. You can confidentially file a complaint or request a consultation to see how OSHA may be able to advocate for the safety of your workplace and the people in it.
Every person deserves to be safe at work, to be treated with dignity and respect, and to have their voice heard, both in and out of work. And a huge component of using your voice is knowing your rights and knowing the power you wield to advocate not only for yourself, but for those you care about.
Do you think your treatment may be discriminatory in nature? Do you seem to be singled out because of your race, sex, disability status, age, or any other aspects of you as a human being? The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (or EEOC) exists to enforce federal laws that prevent unlawful discrimination. It also has a handy list of prohibited practices that may provoke legal action. But even if you are not 100% certain whether your situation is considered discrimination, submitting an inquiry online will connect you with a representative who will listen to you and tell you what can be done (and they will not alert your employer about your inquiry).
OSHA
Do you feel physically unsafe at work? Are required safety measures not being taken? Do you spend the work day on your toes waiting for an accident to happen? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) exists to promote workplace safety and prevent retaliation. You can confidentially file a complaint or request a consultation to see how OSHA may be able to advocate for the safety of your workplace and the people in it.
Every person deserves to be safe at work, to be treated with dignity and respect, and to have their voice heard, both in and out of work. And a huge component of using your voice is knowing your rights and knowing the power you wield to advocate not only for yourself, but for those you care about.
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