Unhappiness at work is often the result of feeling undervalued.
Jasmine Escalera, career coach, says you should decide what value means before you wonder why you feel a certain way or think about possible solutions. Lack of advancement can contribute to feeling undervalued, but resentment over not being respected or appreciated by your boss can also play a role. Escalera said, “It can be unique to the person.”
Anyelis Cordero, founder of Propel on Purpose Coaching, told me that you must have high emotional intelligence and political savvy to spot early warning signs that you’re undervalued at work.
Image Credit: Pexels/Ivan Samkov
There are various telltale signs you are undervalued at your job that are not always obvious. Several of them, according to career experts, include:
No One Listens To Your Opinion In Meetings
If your ideas are getting ignored in meetings, you should consider whether you are communicating the content. Anyelis Cordero, founder of Propel on Purpose Coaching, said, “It’s often an early sign of the problem when other opinions are overshadowed or dismissed by yours.” Nevertheless, if you know your ideas are being heard, ask your colleagues follow-up questions to determine what is wrong.
Your Job Has Drained You
You might want to consider whether your feeling of unappreciation stems from feeling checked out at work. There’s a neuropsychological reason: People want to feel connected, valued, and heard. When we take those things away from people, they become disengaged employees. In many cases, disengagement is the result of undervaluation.
Image Credit: Pexels/Ivan Samkov
Your Every Move Is Micromanaged
I think micromanagement is a big sign that you’re undervalued sometimes if you don’t have independence. They don’t value you enough to allow you any autonomy. That’s a big sign you’re undervalued. You can propose a new way of reporting to your boss as a short-term experiment if they monitor you rather than manage you. They will more likely agree with your idea if you frame it as an experiment.