Networking, connecting, and building a reputation for yourself, all of this is necessary when curating our professional presence and hoping to go far in an industry.
No matter who you are, sometimes how you relate to people can help you progress further than your actual skillset, which is a slight indictment on how many industries are organized, but also a practical reality about human relationships.
A board looking for the next CEO of their business will assess leadership qualities through many measures, but they will be sure to include affability, communicative capability, and visionary thinking just as much as they will expertise and accreditation.
However, it’s important that as a professional, you don’t let these truths limit your productivity or willingness to disagree when it’s most necessary to do so.
Putting your professional foot down, when suitable, is sometimes worth risking all we’ve spoken of in order for the right thing to be done. As we’ve seen with recent whistleblowers at companies like Boeing, you may help save lives thanks to your efforts.
So, what are the scenarios where putting your foot down is essential? In this post, we’ll discuss that and more:
Safety Issues
Safety concerns in the workplace shouldn’t be brushed off in any way, almost ever, unless they’re already being worked on already.
Sometimes, a company might try to cut corners or ignore potential hazards to save cash. This could be anything from faulty equipment to inadequate safety protocols that haven’t been updated in twenty years.
Speaking up about these issues isn’t just for following rules or seeming like a pedantic, annoying person, it’s quite literally for the purpose of protecting everyone’s well-being. It might feel uncomfortable to raise these concerns, especially if you’re new to the business, but it’s essential.
Maybe you’ll inspire ADR training and prevent someone from suffering horrible chemical burns. You can quite literally save lives putting your foot down here, or escalating externally if you’re ignored.
Payroll Problems
Discussing personal finances tends to be bad form, but when it comes to getting paid correctly and on time, it’s essential to be vocal and not accept any messing around, ever, for any purpose.
Payroll issues might seem like simple mistakes at first, but they can add up and cause real financial stress. Even if they didn’t, you deserve to be paid on time as per your contracted.
Maybe you’ve noticed your overtime isn’t being calculated correctly, or your benefits aren’t being applied properly to your working account, like earned days off.
These things can happen, and often it’s just an honest mistake from a stressed boss. But if it keeps happening or if you’re getting pushback when you bring it up, that’s when you might need to put your foot down and even threaten legal action.
Payroll issues can run through the gossip mill like wildfire, and they’re terrible for businesses. Be loud and demand what you’re owed.
Discrimination
Discrimination in the workplace is never acceptable for any reason, but it can sometimes be subtle or hard to pinpoint given the nature of these things.
It might be expressed as unfair treatment, offensive comments, or being passed over for opportunities, for example, if you flat out rejected the advances of someone in your office and are now being ignored for projects.
This kind of behaviour can create a toxic work environment and seriously impact people’s well-being and careers to say the least. The good thing is that you don’t deserve to just shut up and deal with it. You get to have a voice.
Speaking up about discrimination can be scary, especially if you’re worried about retaliation, but often getting this out in the open, logged with HR’s reporting system, and understood by your colleagues can help you. Make sure to document every issue of discrimination and even raise the issue with a tribunal or law enforcement where appropriate.
Lack of Communication
Poor communication can really mess things up at work and you don’t want to be the person they look at when an improper project brief causes issues. If you’re not a manager and are proactive in how you communicate, this isn’t your fault.
If you’re noticing a pattern of poor communication, it’s essential to speak up about now as opposed to later. Maybe suggest regular team meetings, a newsletter each day, or just more updates so you can do your job.
Explain why and how your current access to information isn’t good enough. It should motivate smart managers to change their strategy. Maybe they hadn’t realized the problem, and ironically enough, your communication was enough to change that.
With this advice, you’ll be certain to put your professional foot down with confidence, as and when that needs to happen.
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