Unmasking the Martyr: How to Identify and Deal with Them in the Workplace
A workplace martyr overcommits, craves recognition, and undermines teamwork. They take on too much, refuse help, and seek sympathy. Learn how to identify and manage them to maintain workplace balance.
The Workplace Martyr: A Risk to Team Dynamics
A martyr in the workplace can be a significant risk, not only due to their ability to perform their own job but also because they assume the responsibilities of others.
Much like super-achievers, they strive for success in everything they do. However, what truly sets them apart is their insatiable craving for recognition and a lasting legacy of their achievements.
Illness does not deter these individuals. No matter how unwell they feel, they will still show up to work, believing that without their presence, everything will fall apart. The risk of spreading illness to colleagues is irrelevant to them as long as they fulfill their self-imposed obligation to be present.
The Martyr's True Intentions
A martyr is not a team player. Their constant attention-seeking frustrates coworkers, as they frequently highlight the burdens they've endured throughout the workday. If they decide to make coffee for a colleague, they'll ensure the entire team gets one—not out of kindness, but with an ulterior motive.
Their seemingly generous acts, such as making coffee or volunteering for extra work, can manipulate others into perceiving them as a team player when, in reality, they are not.
A martyr will often take charge of meetings—creating the agenda, asking all the questions, providing all the answers, taking notes, and assigning themselves all the actions. While their productivity may seem impressive, their actions often leave colleagues feeling undervalued and questioning how the martyr manages to accomplish so much, even if their achievements are more illusion than reality.
10 Signs of a Workplace Martyr
1. Constantly Taking on More Work Than They Can Handle
Martyrs feel pressured to prove their worth, making them overcommit to tasks and projects beyond their capacity.
2. Refusing Help or Delegating Tasks
They resist delegating or accepting help, believing they must do everything themselves.
3. Exaggerating the Difficulties of Their Tasks
To gain sympathy or recognition, martyrs may exaggerate the challenges they face in their work.
4. Neglecting Their Own Well-Being
Prioritizing work over personal health often leads to burnout and other negative consequences.
5. Being Inflexible
Martyrs resist change or new ideas, fearing they may diminish their perceived importance.
6. Claiming to Work Excessively Long Hours
They try to demonstrate dedication by insisting they work longer hours than necessary.
7. Seeking Recognition for Their Efforts
Martyrs crave acknowledgment for their work, often for tasks that are simply part of their job description.
8. Being Critical of Others
They may look down on colleagues who do not work as hard or show the same level of commitment.
9. Refusing to Take Time Off
Even when necessary, martyrs avoid taking time off, believing their absence will cause everything to collapse.
10. Ignoring Their Own Limits
They push themselves to exhaustion, disregarding physical and emotional limitations.
The Martyr’s Impact on the Workplace
Unlike the coworker who occasionally helps out with quick favors, the martyr takes on everything to prove they work the hardest and sacrifice the most.
While appearing highly productive, they negatively affect overall efficiency because they struggle to collaborate and inadvertently undermine their colleagues’ confidence.
Martyrs obsess over details, often rechecking lists and numbers multiple times to confirm their accuracy.
They want to be the go-to person in the office, the one everyone confides in—whether for professional or personal problems. While their work is generally high quality, their constant need for validation, exemplified by the refrain "Look at all I did!", quickly becomes tiresome.
If their extra workload is taken away, they will find a way to reclaim it. Even when explicitly forbidden from taking on additional tasks, they will insist they were somehow forced into it.
They are also highly skilled at sulking—despite claiming they do not seek recognition, they frequently complain about being overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. When they feel undervalued, they resort to gossip and speak negatively about colleagues behind their backs
A Simple Technique to Deal with the Workplace Martyr
Similar to dealing with a people-pleaser, one approach is to let the martyr take on as much work as they desire while offering them praise.
They will eagerly tell everyone they are doing your work, but who cares? The key is to ensure you focus on the tasks that truly matter while convincing them that trivial administrative duties are what management values most.
By doing so, you avoid unnecessary power struggles while keeping the workplace running smoothly.
James Mason
