People Can Tell You're Unhappy At Your Job If You Say These 11 Things In Meetings
When someone's checked out, it's pretty easy to tell.
GaudiLab | Shutterstock More Americans are unhappy at work today than they have been in decades, according to a Gallup report, and it’s not entirely surprising. Not only is finding a job a challenge for many people initially, but many also struggle to find purpose, financial security, job stability, and growth in the jobs they do get. Even if being unhappy in a job that’s not your favorite — making it a supplement to your personal life rather than the main focus — is understandable, it’s obvious to peers and leaders when you’re not satisfied, happy, or engaged.
Even small phrases and conversations can show how much you enjoy your job. People can tell you’re unhappy at your job if you say certain things in meetings or engage in habits like showing up late or pushing off important tasks during the day. Even if it feels like a personal struggle to find your place and enjoy your work, others are likely to notice and often judge it.
People can tell you’re unhappy at your job if you say these 11 things in meetings:
1. ‘It doesn’t matter’
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The best employees and most engaged team members are innovative, but they’re also detail-oriented — they understand that even the smallest things can make a big difference in innovation, efficiency, and success. That’s why people can tell if you’re unhappy at your job if you say things like “it doesn’t matter” or “we have bigger issues” in a meeting.
Like a World Economic Forum report argues, attention to detail is one of the most important skills a worker can have — alongside qualities like dependability and creativity — because it not only improves a person’s critical thinking skills, but also helps them develop habits, solutions, and routines that truly make a difference in the quality of their work.
When employees feel happy, supported, and satisfied at work, they’re more likely to embrace these skills — or at least practice and prioritize them. However, when happiness and satisfaction fade, so does their engagement, making it harder and less motivating to focus on the small things and successes.
2. ‘That’s above my pay grade’
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While it’s critically important for employees to protect their work-life balance and well-being in their careers, especially in a workplace culture that doesn’t specifically prioritize their best interests, sometimes doing the bare minimum and focusing only on oneself isn’t the best way to grow or succeed at work.
People can tell you’re unhappy at your job if you say things like “that’s above my pay grade” to avoid extra effort or work because it’s obvious you’re less interested in the company's success and teamwork than in your own comfort. It’s perfectly fine to set boundaries and do the bare minimum, but you’ll rarely experience the growth, career progress, recognition, and success that come from going out of your way to help and showing your engagement.
3. ‘Whatever’
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A study from the International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology suggests that indifference at work is both a cause and a side effect of employee burnout, cynicism, and disconnection. Employees who don’t feel appreciated, supported, or purposeful at work often develop indifferent and disengaged attitudes — they’re not empowered to go the extra mile or invest personally in the quality of their work.
People can tell you’re unhappy at your job if you say things like “I don’t really care” or “whatever” in meetings. Even if they don’t have anything to add to a conversation or expertise to share, engaged employees at work try to stay engaged — even if it just means using open body language and asking thoughtful questions.
4. ‘That’s wrong’
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Happy, engaged, and motivated employees might say something like “that’s wrong” in a meeting, but their follow-up, body language, and tone of voice show they are thoughtful and involved, not indifferent or entitled. People can tell when you’re unhappy at your job if you use this phrase without offering any solution or follow-up.
Even if it’s not your intention — you may be dealing with personal issues, burnout, or a lack of purpose — pointing out other people’s accuracy just for the sake of it, instead of helping a larger effort, can isolate you from success and colleagues in the workplace.
5. ‘I’ve already got a lot going on’
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People who enjoy their daily tasks, feel appreciated by their peers and bosses, and find meaning in their jobs tend to be happier than those who don’t, according to a study from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, so it’s not surprising that employees lacking these fundamentals often seem disengaged.
They avoid taking on extra work, working long hours, or going the extra mile because they either don’t feel supported or don’t care enough about the work to do so. That’s why people can tell you’re unhappy at your job if you’re immediately unwilling to take on new projects and responsibilities — using phrases like “my plate is full” or “I’ve already got a lot going on” to decline work instead of coming up with a plan to manage what’s important.
6. ‘What are we talking about?’
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Many people who feel unhappy and disengaged at work don’t understand the bigger picture of their workplace — what everyone is working on, what the shared goals are within the organization, or the broader "why” behind the work they do.
They enter meetings with questions like “Why does this matter?” and “What are we talking about?” because they don’t explore conversations, work, and meetings to figure it out on their own time. Oftentimes, they don’t find the work meaningful enough to motivate them to ask thoughtful questions or consider the shared interests of their team members.
7. ‘I just work here’
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While many experts say it's okay to be unhappy at work — not everyone finds their true purpose or meaning in their careers — truly good employees who succeed are at least engaged and thoughtful. They might dislike their job but still put in effort, go the extra mile, and prioritize dependability, rather than rely on phrases like “I just work here” to avoid accountability and extra responsibilities.
Happy workers who find meaning in their jobs may be slightly more productive each day, but that doesn’t mean workers who find purpose in other parts of their lives can’t develop habits, routines, and mindsets that protect their stability and success at work. You may “just work there,” but you also have room to grow, seek opportunities, network, and thrive in that space.
8. ‘Good luck with that’
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Instead of offering alternative solutions or thinking critically in meetings, unhappy and indifferent employees often use phrases like “good luck with that” or “that’s not right” to subtly express their disinterest.
Of course, for many people, unhappiness and disengagement in their careers are directly linked to how they are treated — not necessarily to their sense of meaning or purpose in the work. According to a Gallup report, employees who believe their employer cares about their wellbeing, success, and growth are more likely to be happy and engaged at work.
So, disinterest and disengagement isn’t singularly reflective of an employee's work ethic or motivation, but also of how they are treated by leadership, employers, and organizations.
9. ‘Just tell me what to do’
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When workers and employees are happy, their engagement and productivity usually align — they’re more interested in and enthusiastic about their work, making it easier to take on new projects and stay curious. However, when a worker is unhappy at their job, they tend to lack initiative, curiosity, and resourcefulness — relying on others to handle the detailed work of diving deep.
People can tell you’re unhappy at your job if you say things like “just tell me what to do” in meetings — it’s clear you lack the curiosity and excitement to dive into tasks yourself and to prove your competency, and instead would prefer projects and tasks to just fall into your lap.
10. ‘I don’t get paid enough for this’
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Especially in the current state of many employers and companies, it’s not enough to just be a hard worker. Getting a promotion, earning higher pay, and advancing in the corporate world also require curiosity, the ability to advocate for yourself, demonstrating work ethic and resourcefulness, and going above and beyond.
It’s not always easy to do extra work without pay or praise, but it’s often those employees — who go beyond the minimum and show their skills — who end up in more rewarding careers.
Saying “I don’t get paid enough for this” might be okay among trusted friends, but in a work meeting, it can signal entitlement — especially from someone who’s already checked out and disengaged.
11. ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys’
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Great employees, who often appreciate or love their jobs, aren’t afraid to step up, dig deeper, ask thoughtful questions, stay curious, and put themselves in the rooms they want to be in. They help by taking work off others’ plates or, at the very least, making people’s lives easier to demonstrate their intelligence and competency at work.
However, people can tell when you’re unhappy — or disengaged, unthoughtful, and exhausted — by doing the bare minimum. Of course, nobody is suggesting you should overwork yourself without benefit — risking your emotional and physical wellbeing for a job that doesn’t appreciate you — but if you want growth in a company that supports it, it requires more effort and engagement than this phrase implies.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
