The Power of Saying No: Setting Boundaries in the Workplace
We have often heard that you are not resting when you ‘relax’ while thinking you should be doing more. This is a common occurrence in the workplace; many people have taken on more overtime as they believe they haven’t done enough or should take on more of the burden. We live in a time where the line between personal and work time has almost been blurred, leaving us pressured to refuse any request. Furthermore, we have glorified burnt out or being on the verge of not having time to breathe because of our level of load. The problem is, how do we continue if our body has no energy left?
Boundary setting is something we have turned into a sign of weakness or laziness in recent years, and that is why allowing ourselves to rest when not being at work has become so challenging, especially for those employees who are afraid of not being seen as cooperative enough. As a result, significant percentages of employees have experienced burnout. According to a study conducted by SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) in 2024, it was found that 44% of respondents reported feeling burnt out at work, 45% felt emotionally drained, and 51% felt ‘used up’ at the end of the day.
That’s why it is essential to learn to say no to overexposure to workloads, and it can start with straightforward steps. One of the first steps is not to allow work to consume our identity, with strategies such as turning off notifications of work emails or calls after work hours, disconnecting on days off, and giving importance to mental health days. Another approach to implement is to control our schedule and prioritize the most challenging tasks to avoid overloading our days. When we are asked to do more work on top of everything else, take a moment to analyze if our workday is over, how much load we have for the next day, and to be able to express our energy level.
Company leaders need to understand that these employees who are setting limits are helping improve the organization’s quality and dynamics. According to the American Psychological Association, 95% of employees said it is very (61%) or somewhat (34%) important to work in an organization that respects boundaries between work and non-work hours. Ultimately, employees who feel more satisfied with their jobs will deliver more results and be more effective.
Some ways to support employees in prioritizing their physical and mental well-being are to create safe spaces for dialogue and conversation where employees can freely express their needs to perform their jobs to the fullest. Also, redefine the metrics for defining success, from considering someone successful by hours worked to how good their outcomes were, regardless of the number of hours. And finally, set a good example. Employees will want to copy this model if a leader sends a message that setting limits is healthy and good for the company’s success.
Increasing the boundaries set within our work will help us move away from a culture that has glorified overwork and the non-existent distinction between work and personal life. It is normal to fear negative consequences for not acceding to all the requests that our work brings us, but having healthy boundaries will allow us to protect our well-being, improve our performance, and achieve more effective results.
References:
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). (2024). SHRM’s Employee Mental Health in America Report: Burnout Rates and Workplace Well-Being. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/inclusion-diversity/burnout-shrm-research-2024#:~:text=SHRM’s%20Employee%20Mental%20Health%20in,40%20percent%20versus%2056%20percent.
American Psychological Association (APA). (n.d.). Workplace burnout. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/workplace-burnout
