🚨 **Discussion Time!** 🚨
So, imagine this: You’ve been with your job for three years, you enjoy the hybrid setup, and while the pay is decent, it’s not enough to keep you tied down—particularly after a not-so-great raise. Your boss pulls you aside and drops the big question: “Do you want to grow with the company?” And your answer? A big “NO!” 👋
**Here’s the scoop:**
- 💼 You’ve established boundaries by refusing overtime.
- 📈 You’ve worked hard and been rewarded with a mere $0.72 raise, making you reconsider what “growth” looks like.
- 😰 You manage anxiety—which adds another layer when it comes to work discussions.
- 🛑 You’ve decided to focus on your current role without overextending yourself.
**Why does this resonate?**
Many professionals feel stuck in a similar cycle, where the idea of “growth” feels more like a burden than an opportunity, especially when:
- 🌥️ You’ve seen co-workers called upon for extra responsibilities that lead to burnout.
- 🌱 The company’s idea of promotion seems to reward overwork rather than talent.
- 👎 You’re just trying to find a balance between your job and personal life—but the norm seems to push for more.
**What’s a possible way out?**
Setting clear boundaries is key! Here are a few tips:
- 🔍 Focus on what you truly want from your work experience. Clarity can help you express this to your manager.
- 🗣️ Practice being authentic in conversations. It’s okay to say, “I’m not interested in taking on more right now.”
- 🎯 Define what “growth” means to you. Is it learning new skills, a better work-life balance, or something else?
**Let’s spark some conversation!**** 🌟 Have you ever turned down a chance to grow at work? What were your reasons? Did it lead to a better situation for you? Share your stories, tips, and thoughts below! 👇
And hey, check out these resources for managing your career and anxiety: Verywell Mind on Anxiety and Career Struggles and Forbes on Defining Your Own Success!
#WorkLifeBalance #CareerDecisions #MentalHealth #BoundariesInTheWorkplace #GrowthMindset
I absolutely love the authenticity. I hope you’re happier now that the lines are clear.
They acknowledge a shitty raise and are still trying to cajole you into working harder for them? Lol. The reward for being good at your job is more work, they seem to think this is motivating.
a 72 cent raise, but if you take on more responsibilities, there might possibly be another down the road. I am all for working efficient and taking pride in your work but also respecting yourself and others who do the same.
![gif](giphy|bqkv6FPXmBSxPH8Dkr|downsized)
Start to work even slower so that you get rid of that reputation. If your work product is delivered through emails, check if the provider has the option to schedule emails (Outlook and Gmail have as far as I am aware). Set the emails with your work product to be sent right before the agreed deadline.
That was beautiful.
I think managers have been conditioned to believe everyone is so desperate they’ll do anything to get ahead. Things have changed over the last few years & they seem bewildered to get an authentic response. Hopefully it’ll sink in that workers have more power now.
Wow. Look how comfortable they were with the request. What is in it for you? Less than nothing.
Hey, how about you double your workload and we might, maybe, possibly, think about a .5% raise sometime in the future. No guarantees! Sound good?
wtf, right?
She was trying to hand you more work RIGHT THEN and you were NOT having it. And she knows you’re looking for the next thing because you were snubbed in the last raise cycle.
“Work harder and we’ll POSSIBLY give you a raise” should be answered with “I’d like some metrics on that, and have it all in writing. OH YOU DON’T WANT TO DO THAT?”
Good for you dude. Sucks the job is lame, but it sounds like you’ve put up some excellent workplace boundaries to keep it as just a job. Good on you for rejecting your manager. My manager offered me more work at one of my job yesterday and I wordlessly shook my head. Noooope. I’m trying to start taking care of myself again, not dumping myself down the company drain.
Why get a raise if you do bare minimum lol makes absolutely no sense that you just deserve something with zero efforts.
“We saw you getting your work done and was hoping to exploit you for the carrot of another raise that may or may not come”
Fuck that. If they want you to do more work, they can give you a new title and raise NOW.
Managers these days are ridiculous. “So let me get this straight, I did a good job and worked hard, then got a crappy raise. I kept working hard and got another crappy raise. Now you want me to work harder and you expect me to believe that you’ll finally give me a good raise? How about you start by giving me the raises I deserved the last two times and then maybe I’ll at least believe your new offer. Your track record in this department is atrocious right now.”
I am a new supervisor (about a year). When one of my employees does his job too quickly, I remind him it’s not a race and he’s paid by the hour. IF I give them a project to do, I will take duties off their plate so they don’t get overwhelmed.
I used to be the “fast” employee that was given MORE work for being TOO productive. I won’t do that to my team. I’m sure my boss doesn’t like it, but she should have thought about the consequences when she promoted me. LOL
Hahaha, aww poor manager is disappointed the carrot on a stick didn’t work!
> I “work so fast” so I can take on more responsibility.
Yet you are given garbage ‘raises’. Does she understand what she is saying? I mean it would be terrible if you spelled it out for her.
When I started working at a small company in my youth, they were big on not talking, but we did a bit of yakking around anyway. My job was to troubleshoot bad circuit boards and make corrective repairs. One day, I just set myself to not talk and just concentrate on the job. At the end of the day I told a coworker that I knocked out triple the normal amount. His eyes got big and he pulled me to the side and said, “Hide the extras and just add a couple a day to your endstock. If they find out what you can do they’ll only increase what’s your expected output and will probably put us all in separate cubicles!”
That stuck with me through my career.
I love how anxious you are rofl
Your manager needs to be sat down and explained that business proposals have to be clear to be taken seriously.
“More work **now** for a **possible** raise of **unknown amount** at an **undetermined point in future** is not a professional way of making a business proposal, and it is not realistic to expect it to be taken seriously.”
I guarantee you that there’s no raise, your manager is just dangling a carrot at the end of a stick.
Hard workers just get rewarded with more work and no increase in pay.
She wanted you to volunteer to work even more for nothing. Good move on your part.
“My pay didn’t grow with the company, why should I?”
I got a 0.90 cent raise this year. After getting that, I let my boss know that I don’t feel valued and they gave me some half ass explanation. We lost a team member as he went to another department, so we are down one person. I refuse to take on more work without another raise. I’ve actually slowed my pace down, and just work. I leave when 3pm hits, and I don’t ask questions or if I can help out or anything. I’m pretty much in the same boat.
Working extra hard the last 2 years has shown me the company doesn’t care, yet all I hear about in our monthly meetings is that the company is getting record profits and on track to hitting the numbers they want. But I got a 0.90 cent raise. Fuck off.
Good job. They should have given you a proper raise and then maybe you would have been more receptive to what they need. Fuck them though.
Lol I remember when I learned not to take future considerations from an employer.. they promise blank and in 6 months they won’t even remember talking about it!
The horse that pulls the hardest gets whipped the most.
You should start looking for another job.
A lot of companies have “a move up or move out” mentality.
Your company now knows you have an anxiety disorder, that you’re unhappy with a raise, that you’re trying to be more authentic in your life, that you don’t think about the future, and that you’re unwilling to take on more responsibility.
Companies don’t want those types of employees. I’m not saying that to support them, I’m just saying that’s the cold truth of the matter.
It’s only a matter of time before they’ll find someone more “cooperative.” Your performance can be great, but that’s not the only thing they care about. In many cases, an average, but cooperative employee will be favored over a high-performing uncooperative one.
You’ve started the countdown on your own termination, more than likely. Better to act first. Start looking for another job now, while you’re still in a position of strength.
They’re trying to Quiet Fire ya by giving you minimal raise and maximum responsibility. Don’t fall for it.
So tactful… I woulda hit her with the, why I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I wasn’t bending over for you far enough with my current work load?
She is disappointed bc even though they expect low, medium, and high performers….most get around the same salary. You stood up for yourself and as such have a work/life balance. Good for you!
TL;DR is supposed to be shorter bro.
Same thing happened to me. 2 dollar raise first year. Second year .35 cent raise. All meeting expectations and above on evals! Kept dangling the carrot of we are a growing company and would love to have you promote “eventually”. 2 1/2 years later nothing. The .35 cent raise was when I checked out and stopped doing anything out of my job duties. Starting acting my wage. I finally quit and went to a job with double the pay.
Manager was upset when I put in my notice and asked to give them more time as they are working on something for me. I told them “I’ve given you 2 1/2 years already, I’m done waiting. But, feel free to make a counter offer and I’ll consider staying….” And guess what: “crickets”.
Left that day and never returned to finish my time. Not even sorry.
She’s disappointed in that the company she works for can’t exploit you more, for the same, or less, with inflation. I think you handled that as well as you could have. Working at 2x the speed won’t get you 2x the pay.
Over the years ive learned that being good at your job only rewards you with other peoples jobs in addition to your own