Tips For Keeping Your Work-Life Balance Even With Sudden Changes
The concept of "quiet quitting" has recently gained popularity as a means of drawing lines in the workplace. Rather than looking for new employment opportunities, some employees may choose to stay put and perform their regular job responsibilities without going above and beyond. This practice raises questions about what constitutes "normal" behavior in situations where roles change and additional responsibilities are assumed to be carried out by other team members.
The term "quiet quitting" has been widely discussed on online discussion boards and social media platforms recently, and for good reason. Picture this: your boss wants you to do more, but he or she won't give you a raise to do it. (This is sadly not an isolated incident. In fact, compared to the rest of the OECD, the United States has workers who put in an average of 1,791 hours annually.
Choose from the following options:
Bear it with a smile
Ask for a raise in pay, benefits, or both.
You need to look for advice urgently because you were never given any.
Whatever circumstances prompted your reflection, your response is bound to be unique.
Changes in team dynamics can occur for a variety of reasons. It's possible that your employer will assign you a new responsibility because one of your coworkers is leaving the company for personal reasons, the company is laying off workers, or both. No matter the reason, you should talk to your boss about your new role to clarify expectations and establish ground rules.
Make sure you get everything you can by asking
You don't work for free, no matter how much of a "team player" you fancy yourself to be. You should be compensated for any extra hours worked due to temporary circumstances, such as a coworker being out on sabbatical or medical leave. If you want a raise or a bonus, be sure to ask for a specific amount and back it up with numbers.
When the permanent departure of a coworker adds to your workload, it's important to know if and when the company intends to fill the position. If you're filling a vacant position that could lead to a promotion, you should lobby for the promotion or at least a "acting" designation to highlight your abilities.
If monetary compensation or a promotion are out of the question, you'll need to think outside the box. Think about benefits like extra vacation time or a lump sum payment. You can ask for more training or tuition reimbursement from the company if it offers such perks.
Never let negotiations drag on forever. You should immediately set up a follow-up meeting if your manager requests additional time to formulate a solution.
Clarify what is expected of you.
In order to keep your salary stable, your employer shouldn't expect you to perform the work of two or three people in the same amount of time. It can't continue indefinitely because of its inherent unfairness. Avoid burnout by beginning your new role with reasonable expectations.
When discussing your workload with your manager, it's important to be as accurate as possible when estimating how much time you'll need to complete each task, and to also inquire about the possibility of redistributing some of your current workload, or parts of the new workload, to other team members. Before you leave the meeting, schedule a time to follow up and assess your progress once you've had some time to settle into your new position. You may find some of your new responsibilities to be simpler than you anticipated, while others will require additional instruction or guidance from an experienced colleague.
Write it down.
Even if you and your boss are totally on the same page regarding your respective responsibilities, it's still a good idea to put everything in writing. You shouldn't feel obligated to have your boss make a list of tasks for you. Rather, take notes as you talk about what's expected of you, your new responsibilities, and any changes to your compensation, benefits, or title, and then send your manager an email summarizing the meeting. You can refer back to the email as proof that you agreed to the terms if the company tries to back out later.
Live in the moment
Taking on additional responsibilities is a test of your mettle and an opportunity to demonstrate your readiness for promotion. If you want to succeed in your new, more responsible position, it's important to talk to your boss about setting clear goals and limits before you take the plunge.
Changes in your workload can present opportunities to advance your career, whether you choose to do so internally at your current company or externally with a new employer. Accept the fact that things are going to change.
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