The hidden problem with feeling ‘overworked and underpaid’

It’s easy to blame a broken system. The harder—and often more profitable—move is auditing your real impact, skills, and leverage.

“Overworked and underpaid” has become the modern workplace anthem. The internet is full of advice on how to negotiate harder, “quiet quit,” or jump ship. It’s an easy narrative to embrace: If you feel undervalued, the system must have failed you.