Summer, sun, and sweet vacation is just around the corner. This is the time of year when most people start to mentally check out and wind down before their time off, but those working in IT know all too well that deadlines and mid-year reports often mean the pace picks up during May and June to get everything done in time.
Before vacation, it’s common for managers to put extra pressure on employees to complete projects. But this can have negative consequences for both individuals and the company in the long run. Burnout, sick leave, and high employee turnover are just some of the potential outcomes when managers overlook their employees’ well-being.
What can you do as an employee when your boss is ignoring you?
One consequence of poor leadership is that managers either ignore or fail to understand what’s required to complete projects. The focus increasingly shifts toward finishing projects before vacation, often at the expense of your well-being.
This is what it can look like:
• Your boss sets unrealistic deadlines without considering the workload
• There are more meetings and follow-ups to ensure the project stays on track
• Your boss ignores signs of burnout and stress among employees
• The focus is on delivery rather than the quality and sustainability of the work
When we talk to our candidates, we ask them to share their preferences, so we can better understand what they want and need to thrive at work. We collect this as data points, and among over 3,000 candidates working in IT today, we see that personal development and interesting projects are by far the most important factors.
This suggests that system developers, IT architects, DevOps engineers, and other similar roles generally thrive with challenges and project-based work methods.
In third place, however, is company culture and purpose. When the boss fails to contribute to a sense of camaraderie and meaning into the work, the opposite effect is significant. Even if the project is important to employees too, it can’t come at an unreasonable cost to personal health.
• Communicate with your boss about your workload and need for recovery
• Set boundaries and dare to say no to unreasonable demands
• Seek support from colleagues and the HR department if the situation becomes unsustainable
• Prioritize your own health and well-being – no one else will do it for you
As an IT professional, you have the right to a sustainable work environment where you can grow and feel good. If your boss continues to push you without regard for your well-being, it might be time to consider other options.
Remember that you are valuable and deserve respect and care in the workplace – and that you can always explore new opportunities.
You have the power to set boundaries and prioritize your own health. You bring valuable expertise to your work, and deserve a boss who sees and appreciates you as a person -not just as a resource to meet project goals.
At Worko, we help you use your time wisely. Knowing what you want today increases your chances of achieving it tomorrow. There’s nothing to lose by being proactive in your career – we’re here to help.
Want more career tips, inspiration, and insights in your industry? Read more on our blog!