What do I do if I feel undervalued at work?

Q: What do I do if I feel undervalued at work?

A: This is an unfortunately common position to find yourself in at work.

There are a lot of reasons this could be happening that have nothing to do with you or your performance. Maybe your manager is overextended and, since you aren’t messing anything up, your career development has fallen on their list of priorities. Or maybe your boss never learned that giving praise and feedback is an essential part of management. Or maybe it’s just not a part of your company’s culture.

Whatever the reason you’ve ended up feeling undervalued at work, it’s absolutely worth addressing. If you can change the situation, you’ll be happier at work, and if you can’t, you’ll have a pretty clear sign that it’s time to move on. Either way, it’s better than the silent resentment you’re likely stewing in right now.

So here’s how to address it: Communicate, communicate, communicate.

If your boss has no idea what you’re doing all day, how can they know to acknowledge it? Make sure you’re communicating and that your boss knows what you’re working on and where the challenges are. Set up regular check-ins if you don’t already have them and spend a little time highlighting problems you’ve solved, or ideas and innovations you’ve come up with. Yes, it can feel a bit icky and self-promotional, but I always think of the phrase “It’s not bragging if it’s true.”

If you have an absentee manager who doesn’t meet with you regularly, send a weekly/biweekly/monthly status update email. This is especially helpful if you’re a “keep your head down and work hard” type or if you’re succeeding on projects that have low visibility.

Same goes for getting on the path to promotion: Your manager can’t know what the potential of your talents and skills are, or what’s in your five-year career plan unless you tell them. 

It’s totally understandable to be upset when you are overlooked for an opportunity, but you can’t fix what’s already happened. Instead, speak to your manager and express that, when similar opportunities arise in the future, you’d like to be considered for them. A good manager wants to see you thrive and will make you feel appreciated and valued, but if they are falling short and you want to stay at your job, you have to take control of your career success. 

Need more advice for feeling undervalued? Here’s some further reading: