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When burning bridges at work is the only way out
Summary
Today's young employees are breaking the silence on toxic workplaces and are unafraid to burn bridges if necessary, marking a shift from previous generations' reluctance to rock the boat
Tanya Mehta worked at an organisation she considered unhealthy for six years without a whisper. Her inherent belief that getting another job was too difficult led her to stay mum. Plus, she had bills to pay.
“I would shudder at the thought of team meetings because my boss would find every opportunity to put me down," says Mehta, 38, a former sales professional. “While other team members would leave the office by 7pm, I would unnecessarily be assigned more work at the last minute so that I had no choice but to stay back."
Mehta’s parents, too, always advised her to listen to the boss and never answer back. Eventually, her friends gave her the strength to speak up and also quit her job. Today, she works as an independent consultant.
“On my last day, I had an exit interview with the HR (human resources) department. While I was initially hesitant, I gathered the courage to tell her about everything that disturbed my mental health," Mehta recalls. “It wasn’t met with a positive response but, by then, I knew, I was ready to burn bridges, if need be."
Also read: 6 effective ways to recover from burnout
There are several reasons an employee quits their job—from landing better opportunities, to having a bad boss or not getting the recognition they deserve. But there’s one advice that has been passed down for generations in the workplace: Don’t burn bridges with your superiors.
The term has its origin in the 1800s, when it was a common military practice to burn bridges over rivers, preventing the enemy from getting any further. Over the years, “burning bridges" assumed a negative connotation in the workplace, projecting severed ties with an employer as to be bad news for the career.
Today, things are different. As workers become more vocal about toxic job environments, they are willing to let go of the burden of staying quiet, even if it is likely to impact their career. For them, it’s more important to share the truth, whether it is related to an unethical behaviour (like being in breach of a signed contract) or instances of bullying or sexual harassment, and part ways, drawing boundaries with those who they believe have caused them harm or stress.
What Workers Want
“I am unwilling to let a bad boss cause physical or mental health issues. While there’s always a conscious effort to not make any situation ugly, sometimes it’s bound to happen if the other party doesn’t respect your opinion," says Anant Kanojia, a young business development associate from Hyderabad. “I’d rather lose a job, but I won’t deal with toxicity."
While traditional wisdom dictated that burning bridges wasn’t a wise decision, it also meant employees were allowing bad behaviour for a long time, which eventually led them to quit the organisation, says Neelima Chakara, executive coach and founder of PurposeLadder, a coaching organisation that aims to increase the capacity and effectiveness of executives.
That’s not the case with the new-age workforce, raised in secure environments, who prioritise well-being over money. Their empowerment stems partly from older generations, who endured hardships due to a heavily regulated economy and limited private sector options, valuing financial stability and avoiding burning bridges, Chakara explains.
“The situation has flipped as the older generation is now economically secure and guiding their children to make the right choices. Also, with a supportive economy, including neoliberal policies, more private players, rising entrepreneurs, and an evolving gig economy, ample opportunities exist," says Sumagna Bhowmick, assistant professor (organisational behaviour), K J Somaiya Institute of Management in Mumbai. “This allows the new generation to advocate for change."
Employers, too, are beginning to understand the grievances of their employees in an attempt to retain them. “The cost of hiring and training employees is high. Thus, they’d want their hires to stay in the company. Most organisations have an HR department or a committee to deal with complaints," says Sudipta Sengupta, founder and chief executive of Delhi-based health information and fact-checking platform The Healthy Indian Project.
Dr Bhowmik agrees. In progressive organisations, clear policies safeguard employees from such situations. When individuals report toxic behaviours, many companies offer support. “Some companies may choose to ignore the situation but it will cost them big in the long run. Over time, it also damages an organisation’s performance," adds Dr Bhowmick.
Speaking up and setting boundaries is critical to earn respect, says Chakara. Thus, it’s important for individuals to be assertive about what’s non-negotiable for them. “Sharing how you feel when quitting does not help anyone. It does not help the affected employee, deprives the manager of a chance to pivot, and does not allow the organisation to solve the problem,"says Chakara. “Tolerating things that affect your peace of mind lowers self-esteem."
Good Timing
While Sengupta does not undermine the significance of employee activism, he believes that it should only happen when there is something fundamentally wrong in a company. In other cases, giving up diplomacy and protesting every instance of disagreement with superiors is not an intelligent move in an individual’s career.
Raising concerns over an issue that is troubling an employee should happen in a constructive manner, says Sengupta. Calling out the organisation or peers on a public platform is a big no-no. “Be firm but polite, be persistent yet respectful. Follow the right channel and if nothing works out, you can always move to a new job. Bad mouthing a company after quitting or while serving a notice can be detrimental," he adds. “A graceful exit is always a good move."
Write to us at businessoflife@livemint.com
Also read: How leaders can use AI to create new opportunities, not kill jobs
