Written by: Maryna Mazurenko
When to say NO to the employer!
There are so many cases when you can actually say no to the employer and in fact SHOULD say no.
If you watched the movie The Devil Wears Prada, then you probably have an idea in which cases you could say NO to the employer. I think that when the line of your direct responsibilities and manager’s personal requests is erased, the NO must take its place. So,no inquiries to:
– Pick up his or her kids from school;
– Take the clothes from laundries;
– Bring food from a restaurant;
– Call the taxi;
– Arrange the flights, etc.
Unless the above are your direct responsibilities and you were hired specifically for doing this. But of course, if you are on friendly terms with your boss or manager and feel like helping him/her with any of this, do it. In the end, it’s up to you to decide when it’s time to say NO.
But when you are asked to work on weekends and it wasn’t regulated by the job offer or wasn’t brought up during interviews, you may want to bring the NO thing.
If you are not given vacation in the time frames regulated by the law and contract, there is a NO you might want to use.
When the company is not investing in you in the sense of professional development. Say NO.
When you are asked to deliver within certain time frames and then suddenly the boss comes in saying that he or she needs the results in several hours or even minutes– use the NO, or call the Superman, OR take the challenge and you’ll see that you’ll come out stronger from this experience and then will be able to speak about this for your favor at future job interviews.
One strategic and most inappropriate thing for me at work is when your believes and/or religious grounds are being influenced in one way or another by the employer. There must be a serious conversation generated by you to stop it. It’s a crime against your believes and you don’t have to take it easy.
Despite this, there are also some cases when it’s good if your NO comes to the table. For example, if you are doing your job trying to get some results and your boss is asking you to compose some unnecessary report about your results. If you feel you could gain some significant value in this time, then say NO and explain why.
At the same time there is so much dirt in the business today that it’s hard for a high standards moral values person to survive in it. If your boss is asking you to put that tiny skirt on for the negotiation part, say no! If you are inspired by the employer to drink with the client or smoke because the client does and you don’t feel like it’s something you would do without him telling you, then don’t do it – say no! If any conversation about having some kind of affairs at work are being held with you – say NO!
If your boss wants you to lie to the clients or give some incorrect data, have nothing in common with it – say NO!
And finally if your boss says that you are stupid, say NO! It’s absolutely inappropriate to humiliate and bring anyone down! Stand your ground! Protect your rights and freedom. In the end your job must be a joy for you and not a torture.
Educate your employer every time he or she is not right. I believe it’s not about being smart, but about making the world a better place to live in!
Good luck!
