The Passion Tax - Are you paying it?

Love what you do but burning out.. maybe you are paying the Passion Tax?

If you work in the arts, education, or any so-called ‘dream job’, you may have heard this before:

‘You’re so lucky to work here’
‘People would kill for your job’
‘It’s not about the money - I just love what I do‘

The reality? You’re knackered, underpaid, and unsure whether it’s worth it anymore.

The Passion Tax is what happens when employers undervalue and underpay people who love their jobs - using their enthusiasm as justification for poor pay, long hours, and a lack of recognition. The belief? That your love for the work should be reward enough. For Leaders working in these environments this is two-fold.. they have experienced it themselves and are now trying to motivate teams feeling the same.

I will be tackling this on my New Group Coaching Course for Women in Management starting on Wednesday 24th September. My 5-week group coaching course for women in management is designed specifically for those who lead or manage teams. Blending coaching, creativity, and community, it helps you navigate the most common challenges faced in management roles (including Imposter syndrome!)

Me paying the Passion Tax in the Office on a weekend covering a kids party!

My Experience of the Passion Tax

With 20 years experience working in the arts I have paid the Passion Tax. Zero sleep, no lunch hours, cancelled appointments to cover work and even stepping in as a party princess at the weekend (yes, really - see picture!). Now I hear it from the women I coach too. Women who have ‘done their time’, climbed the ranks, brilliant, committed, and questioning whether being overworked and overlooked is still worth it? Do they stay or do they go? How do they motivate they teams feeling the same?

Adam Grant (of Atomic Habits) called it out 6 years ago (on a platform I wont mention) Managers: it's time to stop taking advantage of enthusiasm. End the passion tax.” This came off the back of a research paper from Duke University that suggests organisations were exploiting the ‘Passion’ of people in jobs they loved (often creative).

So Leaders - what can you do?

  1. SHOUT ABOUT IT: Acknowledging it’s existence is the first step to make it not a ‘hidden cost’. Naming the issue starts to shift it. Share your experiences and call out exploitative work cultures - especially if you're in a leadership role.

  1. SETTING BOUNDARIES: Harder than it seems - but saying ‘no’ is powerful. Support your team (and yourself) to design healthier work lives that allow space for rest, family, self-care, fun and recovery.

  2. RETHINK RECOGNITION: Stop rewarding burnout and presenteeism. Instead, value the emotional cost, collaboration, and the invisible work that keeps teams going (and passionate!).

💡 Managers: It is super tough to change the behaviour and habits of the work environments we have grown up in, but modelling what healthy looks like is a start. Ask your team where they feel stretched or unseen to co-create a culture that values people properly, not just their passion.

Group Coaching Course for Women in Management

My new 5-week group coaching course for women in management is designed specifically for those who lead or manage teams. Blending coaching, creativity, and community, it helps you navigate the most common challenges faced in management roles.

DATES: Wednesdays (11.30 - 1.30pm) 24th Sept / 1st / 8th / 15th / 22nd Oct

During this 5 week practical course you will;

1.    LEARN HOW TO COACH, by learning and practicing key coaching methods, creative techniques and principles.

2.    RECEIVE ‘COACHING’ through the peer coaching process everyone will have the opportunity to be coached - learning by working together on real-life work challenges and problem-solving within a supportive environment. You will also receive a 1to1 coaching session with me through the process

3.    LEARN SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT / LEADERSHIP SKILLS; each week will focus on a specific challenge such as Imposter Syndrome, Values at work, Confidence, Having Difficult Conversations, Brave Leadership and Self-Promotion.

*This course is for all women, which includes trans women and non-binary individuals who identify or feel comfortable in a women's space. 

Elizabeth Fraser-Betts