Corporate Martyrs: Should They Stay or Should They Go?

Filipinos love martyrs. 

Be it heroes or daytime soaps, culture dictates that an incredible amount of patience and resilience to suffering is a saintly trait. The act is expected to get people’s approving nods. And when it comes to corporate culture, more than a few Filipino companies tend to practice their own version of martyrdom.

And so I ask: Are you a corporate martyr? 

The corporate slave

Before you answer, let us define the two types of corporate martyrs.

The first is the corporate slave. 

A corporate slave is that employee who clocks in hours and hours of work over what is required, forsakes vacation leaves, sometimes even sick leaves, and is at one’s boss’s beck and call—even when at home—and always checking messages and emails even when out on vacation. 

Of course, some people do it willingly because for them, that is the path to accelerate their career growth. They have an end goal and they want to get to the finish line faster. Those are not slaves, they are champions. Those willing to put in the extra work for the win. 

But others do it simply because they feel they have no choice. And these are the slaves. 

Wasting away at a corporate job

If you feel that you are wasting away at a thankless job that offers you no opportunity to move up, then maybe you do have to go. Feeling trapped and unhappy in your job is not only unfair to you but it is also unfair to the company and the people you work with. Because no doubt if you are unhappy, you also bring a certain level of toxicity that “poisons the well,” as they say. 

But before you make the decision to actually quit, ask yourself these things:

1. Does my boss know I am feeling this way? Have I voiced it out?  
2. Do the things that make me unhappy at work have a solution? 
3. Have I spoken about it with my boss or have I gone through the proper channels?

Oftentimes, the description of a martyr is one who suffers in silence and without complaints. In this case, please act. Voice out your concerns. Being a martyr is not helping you. 

But if the answer to both sets of questions above is a yes, and you have been offered no compromises or solutions, then maybe it is time to go explore other opportunities. 

The clueless manager

We now move on to the second type of corporate martyr: the clueless manager. 

A clueless manager puts up with certain employees’ bad behavior just because one believes it would be difficult to find a replacement that can do the job well. This type is also the one who hates conflict, would rather keep the peace, and let everyone think that he or she is a great manager because one is “nice” and is able to keep the workplace conflict-free. Yet, note that that is not managing people at all. And in the end, this clueless manager feels miserable and unhappy because he or she finally comes to realize he or she cannot keep people in check. 

If you are this type of manager, ask yourself these things:

1. What is the cost of keeping such bad employees in the company vs. losing them? Do they negatively impact other employees? 
2. How strong is one’s knowledge of the transfer program? Are there skill redundancies?
3. Do I need more training to better handle these situations?
4. Am I not opening up the problem to my superiors for fear they might see me as weak and not capable enough for the job? 

Lots of people do not realize, especially new managers, that the cost of a bad hire is magnified in such a way that they negatively affect other people in the workforce. At times, under the guise of a “caring” boss, they keep them longer than necessary and fail to connect the fact that one underperforming employee could directly impact on other employees’ morale.

Creating a space for better things

To quote South African author Gift, Gugu Mona, “Losing does not always amount to a loss, sometimes you have to lose those toxic relationships and bad habits to create a space for better things.” That applies to bad hires and is helpful when cultivating the right work environment. 

But again, before you take the “easy” option and decide to fire that employee, look deeper into your process and, more importantly, yourself as manager.

The last three questions are about the process and your capabilities. If your answer to question #2 is “no” then you have created a problem for yourself. You always have to make sure that all bases are covered. Skill redundancy means that even if one person is gone, operations will not come to a screeching halt. There should always be another staff who can take on the task in the interim. If that is not possible due to resource restrictions, then make sure you document. Documentation is key to proper continuity. 

Question #4 is a bit tougher to answer. Not everyone is willing to admit one’s faults and shortcomings. That is part of being human. The truth, though, is that a lot of people get promoted to a managerial position because they have excelled in the skills required of their level and their superiors just feel it is natural to move them to the next level. But excelling at what you do does not necessarily mean you have the capability to manage people. Managing people and managing tasks are totally different things. 

It takes strength of character to speak up

So, if you feel that you need more help in the area of soft skills, do not be afraid to speak up. It actually takes strength of character to do that. 

Now, if you have answered “yes” to both #2 and #3 and yet you still feel that things are out of control and the job is overwhelming, there might be other factors that are not fully in your power. And the same as with your subordinates, you have to be aware of how you affect the team. If you feel you no longer bring positive energy to the team and cannot move things forward, then maybe it’s time you find a job that is a better fit. Quitting is not always bad if you’ve already hit your glass ceiling.  

At the end of the day, maybe the question should not be whether one should stay or one should go. Often, the right question would be: Are you still happy? It takes proper introspection to find the answer. But with the right answer, there are no losers.

Everyone is a winner whether you stay or go.  

Note: This article was previously published in our printed issue of The Corporate, Guide and Style for Professionals Magazine.

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About the Author: Ms. Lenna Desuasido is currently a CEO of a BPO & IT company.