Understanding Extractive Practices at Work and Beyond
- Apr 17
- 5 min read
There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that’s hard to explain.
It’s not just long hours or tight deadlines. It’s the feeling of being taken advantage of, for your time, energy, ideas, without acknowledgment, reciprocity, or care.
In a recent VEST session, we invited members to share their experiences with extractive practices, to better understand where these dynamics show up, and how we might begin to shift them, both individually and collectively. But first, it’s worth defining what we mean by “extractive.”
Defining Extractive Practices
Extractive practices are ways of working and interacting where more is taken from someone than is given back, often repeatedly and without acknowledgment or support. In professional settings, this can look like being expected to go above and beyond without compensation, having your ideas taken without credit, or carrying emotional labor that isn’t part of your role. But it doesn’t stop at work. It shows up at home and in our communities, anywhere responsibility, recognition, and power are unevenly distributed.
For a deeper dive, tune into our guided podcast episode.
What Extraction Looks Like
VEST members shared candid, real-life experiences of extraction, moments where they were asked to give more of their time, energy, and ideas without equal recognition or support.
We’re grateful for their willingness to share. These stories bring visibility to experiences that often go unspoken, helping to normalize the conversation and move us toward building less extractive systems together.
When Extra Work Becomes Expected
"I was expected to plan, prep, and run every company lunch on Fridays, on top of my actual role. This meant coming in early and handling all the setup and cleanup on my own. Over time, it started to affect my core work. When I finally pushed back and asked that we rotate responsibilities, I was met with visible disbelief from leadership. Looking back, I could have addressed it sooner, but it was telling that once others had to take it on, the weekly lunch quickly stopped being a priority."
What felt extractive? My time, both personal and professional, wasn’t treated as valuable, even though I was expected to consistently exceed client expectations.
How did this impact you? It left me feeling exhausted and frustrated on a regular basis. I’m not opposed to hard work or extra hours, but it needs to be a shared effort, not an assumed responsibility placed on me by default.
When Those With the Most Resources Ask You to Work for Free
"For over a decade, I’ve played a central role in developing ideas and building initiatives, yet recognition consistently went to those in more senior roles or better-resourced organizations. In one case, I was one of four people who conceptualized, funded, and built a now award-winning statewide program, but I received no acknowledgment. I’ve also worked with wealthy clients who had no boundaries around my time and, in one instance, still haven’t paid me months later, despite taking full public credit for work we built together.
Anonymous VEST Member
What felt extractive? The lack of acknowledgment for my time, energy, and ideas. It felt both disrespectful and dismissive.
How did this impact you? It’s impacted my confidence and created ongoing stress, especially not being paid for months by someone with clear financial means. Over time, it’s also led to a sense of resentment.
When Free Labor is Expected in Exchange for Visibility
"Businesses, nonprofits, and individuals often expect artists to share their expertise for free. There’s an assumption that creative insight should be freely given, followed by “we don’t have the budget” after significant time and effort has been invested. More often than not, they seek someone willing to do it for less (or free), or abandon the project altogether, without fully understanding what it takes to fund, advocate for, or properly integrate artists into their work."
What felt extractive? They expected me to take their project seriously, but didn’t take my work, pricing, or value seriously in return.
How did this impact you? It made me realize how much unpaid labor I had been giving. Since I've become more intentional about setting clear standards, defining rates upfront, and not starting work until expectations and compensation are defined. The goal is to work with clients who see my work as an investment, not a free resource.
When You’re Expected to Carry the Unpaid Load at Home Too
"During COVID, working from home made me realize how much I was carrying for my family and how much was simply assumed I would handle, cooking, cleaning, groceries, managing school and doctor appointments, all while working full time. Eventually, I hit a breaking point and went on strike. I stopped cooking and cleaning, and even redirected school and medical contacts to my husband. Years later, I’m still uncovering responsibilities that were never really mine to hold, like doing my now-adult kids’ taxes.
Anonymous VEST Member
Part of shifting meant acknowledging my role in allowing it to continue, while recognizing that holding everything back was limiting my family’s ability to step up and grow."
What felt extractive: The constant energy drain of juggling everything left no space for anything else, there was no time for me.
How did this impact you? I didn’t fully realize how exhausted I was until I was already burned out. I felt drained all the time, and even things that should have been enjoyable, like holidays, started to feel frustrating because the responsibility fell entirely on me. Over time, I felt unseen, taken advantage of, and uncared for.
When “Volunteering” Becomes Unpaid Labor
"I was often asked to join committees, usually to plan events, where there was pressure to provide my digital services for free, building event pages, managing social media, creating sponsorship materials, flyers, and handling administrative work. Looking back, I’m struck by how much I gave without compensation and how difficult it felt to say no. I worried about being seen as difficult, excluded from future opportunities, or damaging my reputation within the community."
What felt extractive? They never stopped asking for more. Expectations kept increasing, often without clear direction, which led to multiple revisions and more unpaid labor. Feedback was treated as their “contribution,” while I was doing all the work. Over time, it felt like I was working for an agency, for free, while being told it would be “good for my portfolio.”
How did this impact you?It impacted me on every level, financially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I feel a lot of resentment and confusion around why the asks never stopped, even after I had already given so much. It made me more aware of how often this dynamic is normalized, especially in nonprofit spaces, where the expectation to sacrifice can go unquestioned. This experience forced me to set clearer boundaries. It also made me reflect on my own patterns, especially people-pleasing and fear of damaging my reputation, which led me to overcommit at the expense of myself, my family, and paid work.
Why This Matters
These aren’t isolated experiences. They’re everyday dynamics that are easy to dismiss when you don’t have language for them. When left unnamed, they get internalized. We question ourselves, adjust our expectations, and continue overgiving, often at our own expense.
Recognizing these experiences isn’t just about setting personal boundaries. It’s about understanding how these dynamics are reinforced across workplaces, households, and communities and how we might begin to interrupt them. Because these systems don’t sustain themselves by accident. They continue when they’re normalized, unspoken, and unevenly distributed.
What You Can Do About It
Start small. Notice one moment this week where something is asked of you that feels misaligned, unclear ownership, unacknowledged effort, or an expectation that goes beyond your role. Instead of automatically stepping in, pause and decide how you want to respond.
That pause is where change begins.
If you’re looking for a space to continue these conversations, learn from others navigating similar dynamics, and build more sustainable ways of working, we’d love to have you inside the VEST peer network. Learn more at www.VESTHer.co