I have a secret to share with you

Mawuena Akator

Author

Mawuena Akator
April 23, 2024

Hi guys, and welcome back to I’ve Got You, a safe space for young professionals to read content to help them navigate the corporate world.

Read time: 4 mins

Table of Contents

Today’s spotlight

Say no to your manager.

Yes, you read correctly.

Young professionals are bullied, manipulated, and guilt-tripped into doing more work.

Causing your mental health to spiral and your Sunday blues to become normal.

I have a secret to share with you.

You can change your situation by saying no and practising boundaries.

You may be thinking. I don’t want to offend or hurt someone’s feelings, but it’s not about that.

It’s about you being treated fairly and not breaking your back for a job.

So, here are five ways you can say no in corporate:

  1. "I appreciate the opportunity, but given my current workload, I'm afraid I won't be able to take on additional tasks at the moment."

  2. "Thank you for considering me for this project, however, I have several deadlines already and want to make sure I deliver quality work on time."

  3. "I'd love to help, but I'm already committed to other projects that require my full attention right now."

  4. "Thanks for thinking of me, but with my current workload, I'm concerned that I won't be able to give this task the attention it deserves."

  5. "I'm quite busy with my current tasks, so I'll have to pass on this one for now, but I'm happy to revisit it once things ease up a bit."

Where are you silent or silenced?

Were you silent or were you silenced?

❝

When you say yes to others, you’re often saying no to yourself.
— Paul Coelho

What you need to know

Gen-Z wants it all when it comes to work.

We want a work-life balance, fair pay and a company that aligns with our values.

If not, we walk away.

We don’t want to experience burnout, time poverty, and economic insecurity.

We want a soft life, and I’m here for it.

Here are the top 10 companies that accommodate your needs:

  • Google

  • Mastercard

  • Deloitte

  • Deutsche Bank

  • Cisco

  • Microsoft

  • Hilton

  • BlackRock

  • Salesforce

As lovely as it sounds, not everyone will get to work at these organisations or they may not appeal to you.

However, here’s how you can spot a green flag organisation:

Green Flag organisations:

Bonuses

Diversity and Inclusion

Free counselling, health and wellness support

Celebrates milestones and achievements

Changing employee roles to fit their skills

Remote work options & flexible work hours

Unbiased promotions

Approachable leaders

Skills and management training

Two-way performance reviews

Network and stop having FOMO