Ever wonder why Jeff never seems to be asked to brew the coffee for client meetings or why Rob can dodge the event committee and cake-baking duties for retirement parties?
It’s because non-promotable work (otherwise known as office housework) – the behind-the-scenes tasks like taking meeting notes, organizing team socials, or ordering office supplies – are often disproportionately assigned to women and visible minorities. These tasks don’t highlight your technical skills and seldom lead to career advancement. They’re framed as “helping out” or “pitching in,” but not participating in them can mean you're “not a team player.”
We asked our community to share some non-promotable work they’ve been assigned:
"I kept the kitchen stocked with coffee and snacks. When I stopped, people stopped using the espresso machine because no one else thought to buy more milk!"
"Planning a baby shower for someone I didn’t even know well and keeping track of everyone’s birthdays."
"Being the go-to person for turning documents into PDFs before it was a built-in feature."
"Cleaning up and reorganizing client collaboration spaces before and after workshops – tasks that weren’t billable or promotable."
"It was my job to unload the office dishwasher on Tuesdays. A task that no men had to do."
“The worst is being the person who has to collect cash for group gifts.”
According to McKinsey, Managers are 50 percent more likely to ask women to do non-promotable work, and when women are asked, they are 50 percent more likely to say yes. This creates a "visibility gap," where women’s contributions to critical, career-advancing projects remain obscured and their capacity to do promotable work is reduced. This imbalance perpetuates inequality by reinforcing outdated gender roles and limiting professional opportunities for women.
Here’s how you can push back:
State Priorities: Clearly define and communicate your priorities to focus on high-impact projects. State your current capacity and specify that for you to take on new tasks, something else would need to be removed from your plate.
Be Direct: Master the art of saying no to tasks that don’t align with your career goals. Saying yes can set a precedent, making you the go-to person for similar requests in the future.
Track Your Time: Document how much time you spend on non-promotable work. This data can be used to illustrate how much of your time is consumed by non-promotable work.
Offer Alternatives: Suggest others (men) who could take on these tasks or propose a rotation system to ensure fair distribution.
Opt for Flexible Work Arrangements: In-person office environments tend to involve more non-promotable work due to the physical nature of the tasks.
Engage Leadership: Discuss the issue with leaders and request support in balancing non-promotable tasks. If you're in a leadership position, push for structural changes within the organization that address the imbalance in task distribution and promote fair practices. One of our members stated that she asks her team if these are tasks they actually want to do, or if they are just voluntold to do them.
Though it might seem like a small step, saying no to baking the cake sends a strong message. By setting boundaries you're challenging a system that undervalues your contributions. Let's push back against outdated practices and establish a more balanced workplace where tasks are distributed, recognized, and rewarded equitably.
