Oftentimes we delude ourselves into believing we are a company’s best employee. That’s hard to measure and incredibly subjective, but somehow we tell ourselves, “Without me, this billion-dollar company that’s existed for fifty years would be nothing!” The tough reality is that that is far from true. They were fine before you, they’ll be fine without you.
What you are is the easiest employee to take advantage of. You’re the employee with the least amount of backbone. You’re their favorite little workhorse who never says “no” or advocates for themselves. You sit and watch as less qualified people get promoted and wonder why. Why them, not me? Because, why would they promote you and give you more money when you already do the work of three people for the pay of one?
I speak from experience here, truly and sincerely believing that I was various retail chains’ “best” employee. Getting passed over for promotions constantly despite how hard I worked, and always wondering why I never got the recognition I felt deserved. Working harder and harder, pushing myself further and further, just to prove I was the best and prove I deserved promotions that I never wound up getting. I sold my soul to these companies because I wanted to show them I was the best and that without me, the company would fall to pieces. Well, I don’t work for any of my previous employers anymore, and they’re all still standing. And 100 new “best” employees have taken my place since.
Was I the best employee? Maybe. Did they care? No.
My point in all of this is, let the emotions go. Detach yourself from your place of work. Go in, complete your shift, collect your check, and go home. Do the work you are paid to do and stop going above and beyond for corporations that are absolutely taking advantage of you. These places thrive off of those of us who want to prove we’re the best because we do so much free labor for them! Enough of that.
Keep in mind- I’m mostly referring to customer service jobs here. Of course, there’s plenty of offices and small companies that would fall apart if their best employee was to quit, and I’ll never advocate for people working in jobs they’re passionate about to detach emotionally. However, if you’re a cashier, maybe take a step back and reevaluate the amount of free labor you do for your company in the hopes of proving to them that you’re “the best.”