A new trend is emerging in the workplace, coined “act your wage.” Inspired by the classic phrase “act your age,” this movement, gaining traction on platforms like TikTok, encourages employees to align their work efforts with their compensation.
The trend suggests that instead of exceeding job expectations, workers should focus on fulfilling just the basic requirements of their roles.
A TikTok Influencer’s Perspective
Sarai Soto, a 30-year-old content creator on TikTok, has become a prominent voice in this movement. With over 87.9 million likes, Soto’s videos often depict the challenges of modern workplaces.
She advocates for a balance between work and compensation, stating, “Always remember that the amount that you’re getting paid does reflect the amount of work that you put in.”
The Concept of Work-Life Balance in the Spotlight
In her TikTok portrayals, Soto’s character, Veronica, often interacts with an imaginary manager, Susan.
Veronica refuses to work overtime or outside of her contracted hours, emphasizing the importance of personal time and adherence to her work schedule.
Understanding the Wage-Effort Equation
The underlying message of the “act your wage” trend is straightforward: the effort employees put into their jobs should correspond to their wages.
Sarai Soto captures this succinctly, telling Insider, “If a company is paying you, let’s say minimum wage, you’re gonna put in minimum effort.”
Diverse Opinions on Workplace Effort
However, not everyone agrees with this philosophy. Jack Delosa, founder of The Entourage, criticizes the trend, suggesting it could hinder personal growth.
Speaking to Refinery29, he advises, “Acting your wage is a trend for people who want to go nowhere, fast.” Delosa’s perspective highlights a divide in opinions on workplace effort and ambition.
A Manager’s View: Wendy Syfret’s Experiences
Wendy Syfret, author of The Sunny Nihilist, shares her experiences with Refinery29 about staff negotiating pay for additional responsibilities.
She recounts, “I’ve asked [staff] to do stuff and they’ve respectfully said to me, ‘I’d love to do that but that pushes me into another pay bracket, [so] I’m going to need an extra ten thousand to do that.” Syfret’s experiences shed light on the practical implications of the “act your wage” trend in managerial contexts.
Blue-Collar Workers and the Trend
The trend isn’t confined to white-collar jobs; it’s also visible among blue-collar workers on TikTok.
These workers, while competent and rule-abiding, are not willing to extend themselves beyond their job descriptions.
Challenging the Perception of ‘Minimum Effort’
In an article for Refinery29, Wendy Syfret offers a different perspective on what constitutes minimum effort at work.
She believes that fulfilling a job description should not be seen as doing the bare minimum. This view challenges the traditional expectation that employees should consistently go above and beyond their defined roles.
Rejecting the Culture of Overwork
In this article, Syfret also expresses her disapproval of the culture that expects workers to aim for hypothetical future rewards.
She advocates for immediate and fair compensation, stating, “I don’t like the idea of working for a hypothetical reward; this idea that if I do all this stuff now, maybe I’ll get paid for it later.”
Industry Perspectives on “Acting Your Wage”
The concept of “acting your wage” has been met with mixed reactions from industry experts. Forbes’ senior contributor Jack Kelly describes it as a form of slacking or coasting.
In contrast, Syfret argues for the importance of fulfilling one’s assigned tasks without providing free labor.
Potential Impact on Salary Transparency
This movement could lead to broader discussions about pay transparency in the workplace.
By understanding what their colleagues earn, employees might be better equipped to negotiate their salaries and workload. This could lead to a more equitable work environment where employees are paid fairly for their efforts.
The Ongoing Debate Around Work and Compensation
The “act your wage” trend has sparked a significant debate about workplace expectations and employee compensation.
While it encourages workers to align their efforts with their pay, it also raises questions about ambition, career growth, and the value of work. As this trend continues to evolve, it highlights the complex relationship between work and compensation in the modern labor market.
