Some jobs have an inherently bigger set of pressure than others. Working as a financial advisor or in the securities and finance industry comes with some of these harder-to-manage pressures. There’s a lot to manage like your career, investor’s capital, and office politics. Sometimes, even when you’re able to hold everything together, it seems like the cards are stacked against you. You consider the pros and cons of quitting. Or, you analyze why you were let go and you believe it was unjust.
To be clear: there’s a difference between being fired due to negligence, being wrongfully terminated, and being forced out of a position or company. Acting negligently, causing a serious loss for a company, and not performing your duties causes an employer to fire a person. But, creating a hostile work environment so that a person quits when they can’t take it anymore? That’s when you want to consider hiring an attorney. And, if you’re in the securities and finance industry you can’t just go to a run-of-the-mill employment lawyer you need a securities attorney who represents financial advisors.
Horrible Bosses, Workplace Culture, and Quiet Firing
The term ‘hostile work environment’ is something most Americans have heard about. In fact, over 50% of people have experienced feeling ‘unsafe’ at work, per a study by AllVoices. However, this term does not necessarily have one universal definition. Usually, this office or workspace might be made hostile by a boss, a coworker, an extreme office culture, or intimidation. It also could be brought up by a tangible change in what’s expected of you. Imagine working at a company or in a role for some time. What happens if a new manager or director comes in and places unreasonable performance expectations on you? It could lead you to resign.
Unreasonable Workload
What happens if, after a year of working in a role, managing the position successfully, and delivering for your company, your superiors change your workload? Performance improvements are a key way a business sees their employees grow. However, if the improvements change from one quarter to the next, from being reasonable to unmanageable, it might be a sign of something else. This could be one of the first steps in being forced out.
Bosses Lack Clarity and Communication
If your questions regarding work trajectory, deadlines, and requirements go from being met with clear-cut answers to hazy confusing responses, then you could be getting ousted. Of course, work environments vary. If your whole team feels like there’s been an inconsistent strategy and communication from above, it might be an organizational issue. However, if you notice that other coworkers are getting the opportunities, projects, or clients you feel you merit or were promised, then you should examine your situation more closely.
Why this matters for Financial Professionals
Your work environment can change before you even realize it. You go from being in a stable position to questioning your role at your company. Sure, you might be able to move on from the toxic role quickly and land yourself a new job. But, there’s probably more than that on the line. You’ve got Employee Forgivable Loans, U5 Forms, and your financial advisor records to deal with.
Leaving a job does not have to mean the end of a career. Retaining legal counsel and representation before, during, or after a termination or unfairly being forced out should be your course of action. Our securities attorneys can properly guide you through your legal options and give you the best course of action.
