Living in the vibrant city of Los Angeles with all the Hollywood glitz and glamour at your fingertips, it is easy to succumb to the idea that you must endure harsh working conditions in order to pay your dues and make it in this town. It doesn’t matter the industry you’re in or the position you hold — it is never okay to feel undervalued, especially in the workplace. It’s one thing to have a strong work ethic and be more than happy to take on responsibility with the hope it will carry you to the next step of your career — but where exactly do you draw the line before your employer begins to take advantage. Below are 5 signs that will help you assess whether it’s time to make changes in your work life. (Image Credit: Ashish Choudhary /Pixabay)
Wearing Multiple Hats Without Matching Compensation
You were hired for a specific task or set of tasks (one hat), yet over time you’ve also taken on a couple more here and there. It wasn’t a problem initially. You were happy to take on those small additions from time to time. It didn’t feel like an issue until you realized that these small add-on tasks weren’t all that small and were beginning to drag you down. They had become part of your daily job responsibilities, yet your pay didn’t reflect these changes in responsibility. If you continue down this path without speaking up, your employer will get too comfortable dumping these extra tasks on you and expecting you to comply.
No Breaks Or Time Off
Breaks are crucial for your productivity at work. If you are constantly having to be “on” at any given time, it will inevitably catch up with you whether it is at work or on your personal time. There are California break laws in place for this exact reason. If in addition to no breaks, your employer also frowns upon you taking time off, it might be time to start looking elsewhere. You shouldn’t feel ashamed for wanting to take a couple of days off to recharge, nor should you have to worry about explaining why you need the time off. In fact, it should be encouraged, especially if it is to prevent burnout. Once you hit rock bottom, it will be very difficult to get your motivation back.
No Raise / Promotion
You’ve worked long, arduous hours for years and yet you are still waiting for your employer to recognize and reward you for it. You are always going above and beyond your job duties, and helping your coworkers when necessary — yet it all seems to be for nothing. But instead of giving up, you keep at it in the hope that the next time it will happen. You just need to do this one thing and they will surely reward you for it this time. Maybe they do and decide to give you a new title, but no pay increase. Frustrating as it may be, you can still see this as a win. This higher title may persuade a new employer to compensate you for what you are truly worth.
Your Boss Takes All The Credit
One of the worst feelings you can experience in a work environment is having your boss diminish all your efforts and accomplishments by casually taking credit for your work. Maybe it was something inconsequential, like organizing the office space. You didn’t mind letting them take the credit because it didn’t really matter. But by letting those little moments slide time and time again, you are giving them permission to further take advantage and have you live in their shadow. Your boss will never complain about basking in the limelight if you allow them.
Fear Of Saying No
If you feel anxious or uneasy about refusing a request because you think it will adversely affect your job, then you are definitely in a situation worth addressing immediately. If your employer is constantly setting unrealistic goals for you without providing any additional resources, you are being set up to fail. You shouldn’t feel obligated to take on more work than you can handle simply because you don’t want to give a bad impression. The fear of saying no can be crippling. Fight the fear and stand up for what you believe.
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