A TikTok user, @zoraidasworld, posted a video sharing her thoughts on what happens after you speak up at work. The video, posted on May 26, drew 8,166 likes and 310 comments as of publication.
The woman started the video by saying that nobody prepared you for what happens when you speak up at work. She added that you might have felt good in the moment after you said what needed to be said; you stood your ground and did not let anything slide this time. For a moment, you may even have felt as though a weight had been lifted.
However, after that, the real shift began. The same people who had been comfortable around you started acting differently. “The energy changes, the tone changes, the way they interact with you changes.” The woman said that you would start noticing that they were now quieter around you and more careful with what they said. This might make you question yourself: “Did I do something wrong?”
The TikToker said, “You just changed the dynamic. Because the version of you from before allowed certain things. You stayed quiet on certain things. You kinda let things go. But this version of you now, you don't.” This is one of the main reasons people have to adjust, as they know that you will no longer let things slide. This can make people uncomfortable.
She added that this was not because you were wrong, but because you had set new standards. The creator concluded the video by asking, “Did you notice the change after you spoke up?”
One commenter wrote, “If the company culture does not appreciate who speaks up (which is the case most of the time), you get automatically excluded/isolated. So before speaking up, make sure you are in the right environment.” Another commenter wrote, “I got fired after speaking up. They said I wasn't ‘a team player’. I didn't ‘fit in’.” A third commenter wrote, “I lost my job because of speaking up; I don't think I'll ever repeat it again.”
The Daily Dot could not independently verify the events described in the video. The details above reflect @zoraidasworld’s account as shared on TikTok. The identities of the commenters have not been confirmed.
