“Your boss is not your parent, your job is not therapy, and salary is not a birthright.” – Terry Mante
Let’s talk about a curious species that’s been quietly multiplying in offices across the country: The employee who believes presence equals performance.
They show up (most days). They reply emails (eventually). They wear a tucked-in shirt and sometimes even say “Good morning” with confidence. And after six months on the job, they start asking, “So… when am I getting promoted?”
No new ideas. No value addition. But lots of screenshots of motivational quotes saved for future resignation letters. Welcome to the Entitlement Era.
The “I Deserve It” generation
Entitlement in the workplace isn’t just about demanding salary increases. It’s a deeper mindset — one that believes showing up is enough.
You’ll hear it in phrases like:
- “At least I tried.”
- “It’s not in my job description.”
- “After everything I’ve done for this company.”
- “My friend at Company X is earning double.” (But they won’t tell you their friend works twice as hard.)
Some employees now treat jobs like relationships — expecting unconditional love, even when they ghost deadlines.
They want apple benefits on koko performance
There’s an emerging class of workers who want Google-level perks while delivering PowerPoint slides with typos.
They want Remote work (from bed), unlimited leave (unapplied), a MacBook Pro (to browse Instagram), and monthly wellness retreats (for “burnout” after two weeks of effort). All this, while missing targets, skipping meetings, and responding “Noted” to critical assignments.
Newsflash: your boss is not your parent, your job is not therapy, and salary is not a birthright — it’s a reward for value delivered.
Why the entitlement?
Let’s be fair — not all entitled employees are lazy. Some are simply confused by the social media delusion that career growth is supposed to be fast, fun, and free of inconvenience. LinkedIn posts are partly to blame. Every other post reads like: “I just quit my toxic job at 23 to start my dream company. We hit $1M in revenue in 3 months. Trust the process!”
No one posts, “I showed up, stayed late, asked for feedback, improved, and finally got promoted after 3 years.” Because that’s not cool. But it’s the truth.
The dangerous effects of entitlement
Entitlement isn’t just annoying — it’s costly. It kills team morale (hardworking colleagues get frustrated). It slows down progress (because people feel owed instead of driven). And it creates a culture of minimum effort for maximum demand. And when managers finally crack down, they’re accused of being toxic.
Reality check: Value first, rewards later
Here’s the adult truth many don’t want to hear: You are not paid for your dreams, potential, or vibes. You are paid for results. It’s not about who’s been here the longest — it’s about who’s delivering.
Promotion is not a reward for time spent. It’s an invitation to higher responsibility — and if you can’t even deliver on the small things, why should you be trusted with bigger ones?
What entitled employees can do instead
- Take initiative. Don’t wait to be told everything.
- Ask for feedback. And don’t sulk when it’s not flattering.
- Learn more than your job description. The best staff are solution-minded, not task-limited.
- Show up — in body and in mind. Presence without performance is just furniture.
- Be patient. Growth takes time, not just hashtags.
You don’t get paid because you exist
Let’s be clear: employers have their faults. Toxic bosses and exploitative work cultures are real. But the solution to bad leadership isn’t bad followership. A job is not a donation. A salary is not emotional support. If you want more, be more. If you want to rise, lift your results.
Because in this economy, only one truth matters: “You don’t get paid because you show up. You get paid because you show up and produce something valuable.”
Now, back to work. And no, you’re not getting promoted for reading this article.
——Bottom of Form
About the author
Terry Mante is a thought leader whose expression as an author, corporate trainer, management consultant, and speaker provides challenge and inspiration to add value to organizations and position individuals to function effectively. He is the Principal Consultant of Terry Mante Exchange (TMX). Connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads and TikTok @terrymante and www.terrymante.org.
