You Can Usually Tell How Much Your Job Respects You Based On The Way Your Boss Handles This One Specific Problem
PeopleImages | ShutterstockIf it’s not blatantly obvious where you stand on your job, an attorney on TikTok shared a way to gauge your boss’s respect for you as an employee. It all has to do with how they respond to problems regarding your finances.
Respect is vital in the workplace. In fact, according to Harvard Business Review, respect is the most important leadership factor for employees. Those who feel respected at their job report better health and well-being, greater job satisfaction, and even higher levels of engagement, productivity, and focus while at work. They are also more likely to find meaning in their job and stay at their place of work for longer. But despite the benefits for both employees and employers, over half of employees don't feel respected by their leaders.
An attorney claimed that the way your boss reacts to your financial ‘problems’ is a direct reflection of their respect for you.
Ryan Stygar, known as Attorney Ryan on social media, shared in a TikTok a telltale sign that your boss respects you.
“If there’s ever a problem with your pay — you didn’t get your direct deposit on time, your hours were messed up, anything — the level of urgency that your boss responds to that problem is a direct reflection of how much they respect you,” Stygar claimed.
While pay problems, especially when you’re living “paycheck to paycheck,” can be detrimental, they often have easy fixes. Experts suggest staying calm and going directly to your boss to get them sorted out.
But, while this all seems great and solution-oriented, many people are faced with a boss who not only pushes them away but also completely ignores the severity of their problem. This is exactly what Stygar addressed.
If your boss doesn’t take your problem seriously, they don’t respect you as an employee or as a person.
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“Bosses that act like it’s no big deal, all nonchalant … they don’t give a [expletive] about you,” the attorney claimed. Alternatively, “A boss that treats it like a true emergency, and respects your money and wages, that’s someone worth working with nine times out of ten.”
Regardless of their stake in your problem, a good boss will never let you get overtaken by stress over a financial issue that they have the power to resolve.
In a follow-up video, Stygar broke down some responses one could get from their boss regarding a financial problem.
“Payroll errors are gonna happen, and how your boss handles it tells you everything you need to know about their character,” he further emphasized.
“A boss who gets frustrated at you for bringing up the mistake or even acts like you made a mistake or it's your fault somehow is not a good leader,” Stygar insisted.
Another problematic reaction is a boss who acts unconcerned about the issue. “Bosses who act nonchalantly like you not getting paid right isn't a big deal is also a red flag,” he said. According to Stygar, there is only one correct response. “In my opinion, the only way a boss should react if you're not paid right is with urgency and empathy,” he shared. “Anything less is not a leader worth putting your time into.”
So, if you have payroll problems any time soon, there might be a silver lining, as having this conversation with your boss could be a great way to get a sense of where you stand and gauge their respect for you. If the discussion goes poorly, it might be time to open the door to different, healthier opportunities.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
