7 subtle but toxic comments in the workplace and what they really mean
Once you learn to read between the lines, you are not in for a treat
Warning: This article is for infotainment purpose only and any suggested response if applied in real life is at your own professional risk and peril
The phrase above should give you a clue on how well-versed I am in corporate talks; below is a list of the ones I have encountered previously in my life and a hindsight analysis of what I should have said.
- Comment: I thought we would be more advanced by now
What it means: Why are you taking so much time with this work?
What I should have said: I thought so too! Sadly, the work does not get done on accounts of our thoughts
2. Comment: We know you are working extra hard right now and in the process of recruiting
What it means: We will test to see how overworked you can get before burning out so that we do not waste money on hiring more staff
What I should have said: I confirm I am working overtime and in the process of exiting if nothing is done
3. Comment: How do you feel your performance has changed since you joined?
What it means: Do you measure up against our unrealistic expectations?
What I should have said: I feel nothing.
4. Comment: You own your career in this company
What it means: Dedicate your night and day to us and you can get promoted in three four years
What I should have said: We both have responsibilities in my career at this company, me to manage my tasks and you as a company to provide the necessary and healthy work environment
5. Comment: This is the home stretch, after that things will be back to normal
What it means: We have stretched you for years with the same motivational line until you became numb to it
What I should have said: Seems like the home stretch has lasted for two years and is the normal
6. Comment: We have a strong team, some people worked till 2am in their previous projects
What it means: We associate productivity and good work with time spent on the job
What I should have said: Are you saying these two are correlated? Or you randomly made two statements, just checking to make sure I understood correctly.
7. Comment: We strongly believe in work-life balance, like taking a break and exercising from 5–6pm.
What it means: Our version of work-life balance is allowing you an hour to breathe then you can keep on working
What I should have said: Do you even understand the concept of work-life balance?
Obviously, these examples are the exceptions rather than the norm (I would hope) and also not an exhaustive list. Sometimes, they send ssubliminal messages that make the employee second-guess their own performances when they are already giving it their all. My advice: run when you can and find a better work environment. What are some of the pricky comments you have heard?
