DISCLAIMER: This post is a general overview of some employment laws and best practices. It is not legal advice, and there is certainly no guarantee that any of the actions detailed above will generate a similar or specific result. If you require information or advice applied to your unique situation, please make an appointment to discuss it with an attorney in your jurisdiction.
Before focusing Third Ear Conflict Resolution solely on pre-litigation, out-of-court solutions, I defended hundreds of employers in various employment law issues. Rarely were the cases against them filed by their best employees. More often than not, the employees:
- Failed to show up on time, if at all, leaving their co-workers to pick up the slack
- Failed to perform the required duties, again making their co-workers’ jobs more difficult
- Harassed their co-workers and created hostile work environments
- Caused damage to the employers’ premises or stole from them
It used to surprise me more. Instead, what surprises me is the culture of hating work and justifying poor performance. Some employees pride themselves on being low performers. Here’s why you shouldn’t be one of them.
1. You made an agreement.
If you lost every dollar you had and every material possession you own, you could rebuild quickly by having integrity. People like others they can rely on, and they will often help them succeed.
When you accepted your job, you agreed to perform it according to governing law and the employer’s standards. Your wages or salary are paid in exchange for meeting these standards, including:
- Consistent, on time attendance
- On time delivery of work product and services
- Reliable work quality
2. You chose your employment situation.
You might not have felt like you had much of a choice if you took a job to please a loved one, pay some bills, etc., but you did choose to work. Seeing it as a better option than staying home and hoping your needs would be met, you applied to work for this employer. Stop pretending that you’re powerless. If your employment is not meeting your needs, ask for help and start a new job search, if only to determine your market value and what skills you need to increase it.
3. Employers have a lot of impact on your career success.
When your emotions are high, you might think the impact of burning bridges will be less than it could be. Remember why you applied for this job and what you wanted to achieve so you could advance to the next phase of your life. Your expectations might not have been met, but you can probably still achieve some of your goals before you leave, which can give you more:
- Money and benefits
- Accomplishments to list in your work history
- Positive references
- Experience to solve problems in similar jobs
- Opportunities to do similar work
- Opportunities to supervise similar work
4. Supervisors are human.
Like you, supervisors are employees with many demands inside and outside of work. They are doing their best with what they have under the unique circumstances of each moment. They’re not perfect. Neither are you. Forgiveness can go a long way in creating a culture where everyone can thrive. This as much your responsibility as it is your supervisor’s.
5. Resignation only ends the employment relationship.
Separating from your employment only transforms the relationship. It doesn’t end it forever. You can pretend someone is dead to you, but unless they have died, you are still in the same world and, therefore, connected. More importantly, you will probably need to list your prior employer in your work history on job applications, resumes, and LinkedIn. That supervisor you want to yell at (or do worse to) could be the one called for a reference or could take an equivalent job at the next place you apply. You get to choose whether they become your advocates or obstacles.
Let’s make 2024 your best year yet for employment partnership!
Hate your job?
Case Study: January’s Struggle to Communicate Effectively with His New Supervisor