🚩 Red Flag Friday 🚩: “That’s just how we do things here.”

The Line That Signals It’s Time to Raise Yours

Let’s not sugarcoat it: some workplace red flags are bold, blinding, and impossible to miss. But others? They’re dressed up in corporate casual—smiling, shrugging, and serving you dysfunction on a branded coffee mug.

One of the biggest?
“That’s just how we do things here.”

It sounds harmless. It even sounds… normal. But that phrase? It’s a smoke bomb used to shut down accountability, dismiss your concerns, and keep the toxic status quo comfortably untouched.

This Red Flag Friday, we’re unpacking this phrase, decoding what it really means, and giving you the tools to respond like a true SHIELD Warrior™—with clarity, composure, and career-protecting boundaries.

🎭 What “That’s Just How We Do Things Here” Really Means

This phrase is a classic deflection used by people who:

  • Don’t want to examine power dynamics
  • Refuse to acknowledge unfair treatment
  • Want you to internalize the dysfunction as your problem

It’s corporate gaslighting in a button-down shirt.

Let’s be clear: Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn’t make it ethical, legal, or sustainable. It just means no one’s been brave enough—or supported enough—to challenge it.

🔎 Red Flags Hidden Inside the Phrase

Here’s what to watch for when you hear “That’s just how we do things here”:

  1. Unspoken Hierarchies – Certain people get away with bad behavior while others get micromanaged for breathing wrong.
  2. Invisible Workloads – You’re expected to absorb extra duties “because the team is short-staffed”—without extra pay or recognition.
  3. HR Silence or Side-Stepping – You raise a valid concern, and HR minimizes it with a tight-lipped smile and this phrase as the closer.
  4. Cultural Compliance over Psychological Safety – Speaking up feels like rocking the boat. So everyone stays quiet. That’s not culture. That’s control.

🛡️ How to Respond Like a SHIELD Warrior™

You don’t need to explode. You just need to respond strategically.

Here’s how:

1. Echo and Document

🗂️ “Thanks for confirming that’s the current process. For clarity, I’m documenting my concern here and the context around it. Let me know if anything changes.”

✨ Why It Works: You’re not arguing. You’re naming it, noting it, and putting it on record.

2. Redirect the Conversation

🔄 “I hear that’s been the norm, but I’d like to talk about whether it’s still working—and whether there’s room for improvement.”

✨ Why It Works: This language signals you’re not here to burn bridges—you’re here to build better boundaries.

3. Disengage from the Emotional Pull

🚷 If the conversation keeps circling dysfunction, say:
“I’d like to focus my energy where it’s most impactful. Since this isn’t changing right now, I’ll redirect my focus accordingly.”

✨ Why It Works: You’re not retreating. You’re reclaiming your power and protecting your peace.

💬 Pro Tip: Watch for Repeat Patterns

If “That’s just how we do things here” is paired with any of the following, it’s time to raise your SHIELD:

  • “We’re like a family here.”
  • “Don’t take it personally.”
  • “You’re being too sensitive.”
  • “If you can’t handle it, maybe this isn’t the right fit.”

👀 Translation: They want your labor, not your voice. And they want your silence, not your boundaries.

🚨 Your Red Flag Friday Reminder 🚨

If something feels off, it is.
If they try to gaslight you, document it.
If they use culture as a cage, walk yourself out of the trap.

You don’t need to explain, beg, or bend. You need to see the red flags before they bleed into you being burnout.

🛡️ SHIELDs Up. Clarity In. Drama Out.

Feeling Burned Out?  Let's chat: https://calendly.com/theshieldsystem/welcome-call

 

 

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