“Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and render unto God that which is God’s.” – Jesus

Call me cynical, but I am hearing and seeing more instances of employers behaving in a high-handed and indifferent way toward their employees. This is not an indication that human nature has descended to a new level of depravity. People — bosses included — are just as broken as ever. Instead, it is an indication that the law of supply and demand is alive and well.

This is what they give you in exchange for your labor. Make sure it’s a fair exchange.

If job postings were plentiful and workers were scarce, employers would compete with higher pay, more flexible hours and more generous benefits to attract and keep qualified people — that is, people who produce. When employers receive dozens of résumés for every available position, it is a buyer’s market and the pay and benefits on offer are less generous. Unfortunately, this also affects the people already employed, as they not only face diminished bonuses or no salary increases, but new demands or duties for no further consideration.

A word in defense of the boss

As I have explained elsewhere, companies don’t simply have more money to put toward salary increases or improved benefits. Those funds have to come from somewhere. A well-managed company will have a budget which assigns a destination or a job for every dollar at their disposal. Raises normally follow measurable increases in productive output, not edicts from Washington, or kindly impulses. In other words, just because you want or need more money, your employer won’t give it to you. If you want it, earn it.

Often, the shortened prospects for a bonus or the reality of a pay freeze is nothing but an accurate representation of a company’s financial health or the condition of the market it serves. The best companies will share this information with you and will spell out the need for everyone to share in the cost-cutting and belt-tightening. Overcoming these challenges with your colleagues often draws you together and makes you more effective in more prosperous times.

So what do you owe your employer?

An astute question! Your employer is paying you for your knowledge, experience, ability, and productive output. It’s wise to think of this more as a rental. You secure your place on the payroll because you solve problems with minimal cost and minimal drama. The company is not paying you to be a human doorstop or a warm body.

This is sometimes harder to see in the front-line ranks, but your company wants to see you excel in your current role. When you put forth the effort to exceed expectations in your current role, you open your boss’s eyes to your additional capacity. Even if you don’t find your next post within the company, that kind of initiative rarely goes to waste.

Bring your brain to work

Of course you can’t leave your brain at home while you’re at work, but you owe your employer your full attention to the job he’s hired you to do. Engaging your mind means you speak up regarding ways to make the job more efficient, more productive and or safer. And you do all of this with a cheerful and helpful demeanor. It’s a decision.

Find a way to say yes

Nobody (but the weakest bosses) likes a yes-man — the craven bootlicker who tells the top brass what he thinks they want to hear. At the same time, nobody likes to work with the guy who is always negative. My counsel to you is to consider every request your boss makes and — thoughtfully — find a way to say yes. You may not be able to stay late on Wednesday, but can you come in early on Thursday and accomplish the same outcome?

No is still a powerful word

When you are finding ways to say yes, and to follow the company’s policies regarding dress, attendance, cell phone use — even if you disagree with them — there are also times when it is important to say no. These occasions should be rare, but they do exist.

You should refuse to follow any order that is illegal, unethical, immoral, or that poses an avoidable risk to your or an associate’s life or safety. Your company may have a way for you to report such requests confidentially, but not all do. Note that refusing on these bases is the right thing to do, but there are consequences for doing the right thing. The fear of those consequences is one reason doing the right thing is so noteworthy.

To be continued

In an upcoming post, I’ll tell you a famous story about a young man and the limits of submission.

So how about you? How are you navigating the waters of your career? Add your comments below.