Ready to Start a No’ Club?
Join the No Club: Rethinking How We Say Yes at Work
Have you ever found yourself saying “yes” to a task at work that didn’t help you grow, get promoted, or gain recognition—but you felt obligated to take it on anyway? You’re not alone. Many professionals, especially women, find themselves overwhelmed with what researchers call non-promotable tasks (NPTs)—the necessary but invisible work that keeps organizations running, yet rarely leads to career advancement.
In The No Club: Putting a Stop to Women’s Dead-End Work, co-authored by Linda Babcock, the James M. Walton Professor of Economics at Carnegie Mellon University, the authors shed light on the hidden workload that disproportionately falls on women. Their research, and the club they formed in response, offer a new way to think about what we say yes to—and why we should sometimes say no.
Promotable vs. Non-Promotable Tasks
Promotable tasks are those that contribute directly to your career progression: leading a high-profile project, presenting at a conference, or taking on a strategic role. Non-promotable tasks, on the other hand, include activities like organizing team lunches, taking notes during meetings, or mentoring beyond your workload. These tasks are important to the workplace—but they don’t usually help move your career forward.
The problem? Non-promotable tasks are handed out freely and often, and they tend to land on the desks of women more than men.
Before You Say Yes—Pause and Reflect
Next time you’re asked to take on a task, pause (maybe for a day or two) and ask yourself a few key questions:
How long will this take me?
What resources or support will I receive?
What current responsibilities can be paused or reassigned to make room for this?
Find out these answers. Saying yes does not need to be a default. Instead, it should be a mindful choice based on your bandwidth and the value the task brings to your professional growth.
Boundaries Matter
If you choose to say yes to a non-promotable task, set clear boundaries. For example, agree to take it on for one month, or until a particular event ends. Ask for help or tools you might need. And be explicit about what task will be removed or adjusted in your workload so you’re not simply adding more to an already full plate.
This isn’t about avoiding responsibility—it’s about creating fairness and sustainability in how work is distributed and valued. This in turn could reduce resentment and promote the sense of being valued at work.
Rethinking Workplace Culture
What if non-promotable work was recognized, rewarded, and evenly shared?
Organizations can take steps to change their culture:
Rotate non-promotable tasks so the same people aren’t always asked.
Acknowledge and reward these tasks in performance evaluations.
Offer bonuses for those who consistently take on vital behind-the-scenes work.
When workplaces begin to value all types of contributions—not just the flashy ones—everyone benefits.
Build Your Own “No Club”
The authors of The No Club didn’t just research the problem—they lived it. They created a peer group to support each other in identifying and minimizing non-promotable work. You can do the same.
Form a small group of colleagues or friends where you:
Share stories and concerns.
Talk through requests before accepting them.
Practice saying no or negotiating task assignments.
Support from others can make it easier to stand your ground and advocate for balance.
Final Thoughts
Saying no—or setting conditions on your yes—isn’t selfish. It’s strategic. It’s a way to protect your time, energy, and professional goals. As Linda Babcock and her co-authors remind us, we don’t have to do it all—and we shouldn’t be expected to.
Start by paying attention to what you’re saying yes to. And if it’s not helping you grow, ask yourself: Could this be your opportunity to say no?
Want to learn more? Listen to the TED podcast Rethinking with Adam Grant interview on May 5, 2025 with Linda Babcock or check out her book.
Image source: Google Gemini
