- Georgia Gadsby March spent two years working up to 60 hours a week for little pay.
- She has been “quiet” for the past three months to regain her power and build a business in the process.
- Jyoti Man was told why she did it and how she got out by “quietly stopping”.
This reported essay is based on a conversation with Georgia Gadsby March Co-Founder and Head of Public Relations at Unearth PR about “Breaking the Silence.” The concept has recently surfaced on social media and has been widely covered by the mainstream press. Insider got a lot of attention after publishing a story about “beach culture” in March. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
In the year In 2019, I got a job as a marketing assistant in a retail company. It was advertised as a managerial support role working alongside the Head of Marketing but I was given much more responsibility than the job advert stated.
I was tasked with managing multi-million pound budgets and developing massive communications strategies. I had the workload of someone in senior management. I was working full time and part time but I was being paid a very modest salary.
He had no idea of the workload and I was given ridiculous KPIs and targets to hit. I felt I had no choice but to do my assigned work and work part time. Often times, I get calls from senior management on weekends and when I am on vacation. This role felt expected.
It has had a huge impact on my life, especially when I was earning low wages and not being paid properly. I couldn’t pay my rent and bills.
There was always the idea that if you worked hard, you would get a promotion or a raise, but these things never materialized. There was no chance to grow. Poisonous Company was a phenomenon known for human manipulation.
I was told that the organization did not have the budget to compensate for the additional hours and effort. So in February 2021, I felt I had to “go silent”. He either did that or continued to work 60-hour weeks. It wasn’t fair and I wasn’t ready to do it anymore. “Quiet” was my way of getting my energy back.
I was very open and direct about “breaking the silence”. I told my manager that I could not continue working at that level without being adequately compensated. Companies didn’t really have a leg to stand on because they couldn’t force you to work the hours you were contracted to.
When you say, “Just let it go,” you’re at a point where you don’t care anymore. For me, it means spending half an hour in the break room and chatting with colleagues. Other times, I would let the phone ring three or four times before answering.
A three-month “quiet break” gave me time to start my own business. During that time I set up a business – a brand awareness agency – with my husband. The company I worked for threw me off the deep end and I learned a lot. In April 2019, I put all that knowledge to use to start my own business. I chose to reclaim my civilization and make money for myself.
I was working a little and they couldn’t say anything, but I received microaggressions from the management when they told me why I was leaving at 5 o’clock in the morning or if I left for an hour I went for a long lunch.
I take my time answering emails or come back five minutes late from my lunch break. There is a saying in our industry that “it’s PR, not ER” so it wasn’t the end of the world when I met the minimum requirements for the job. It has improved my mental health.
“Silence” is really helpful for employees who feel undervalued. Not something I would recommend if you want to have a long career at a company and want to be promoted.
But if you’re working especially hard and aren’t rewarded with a raise or promotion, it can be a way to establish healthy work-life boundaries.
