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What does it mean to feel invisible at work? -

Feeling invisible at work can mean something very different to each individual. More often than not, though, the sentiment can arise when you're feeling ignored or even underappreciated.

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Emerging feeling -

This feeling can occur among your superiors or colleagues. Perhaps your colleagues are talking behind your back, purposefully exclude you, or fail to recognize your accomplishments.

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Lack of opportunities -

Feeling invisible can also occur when your manager doesn't provide you with feedback or if you rarely receive raises or promotion opportunities.

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How to manage these feelings -

There are many ideas and ways to manage feeling invisible at work. The slides that follow explore several of them.

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Practice self-reflection -

Think about your life, as well as your career. Try to figure out if something in your routine is causing you to feel invisible in your person or professional life.

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Observe your coworkers -

Watch how coworkers interact with one another or who participates in group settings, such as meetings. This might help you make the first step in joining conversations or interacting with others.

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Talk to your manager -

Schedule a meeting with your manager and be honest, direct, yet respectful, about how you're feeling and, ideally, what you're missing. Share your insights, then ask for their input or feedback. Being a manager can have its own challenges; perhaps they just have a lot on their plate.

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Ask for help -

Consider creating some goals for yourself and discuss how becoming more visible is important to help you achieve these goals.

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Improve your self-confidence -

Focus on improving your self-confidence. Research ways you might boost your ego that could help you shine and feel less invisible. 

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Remember the value you provide -

Always take time to think about the unique contributions and skills you provide at your place of work. Reflect on the accomplishments you've achieved during your time in your current role.

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Avoid being a people-pleaser -

People-pleasing can be an attempt to fit in but actually leave you feeling alone or ignored unless someone needs something from you. Try to say reject unreasonable tasks or requests.

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Advocate for yourself -

Make sure you accept credit for the excellent work you complete. Using tact, if someone attributes recognition of your work to someone else, speak up.

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Participate in company gatherings -

Look for opportunities to hang out with those you work with during informal settings and formal company events. Challenge yourself to engage with at least one new person while you're there.

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Show your confidence through your appearance -

If you are frequently wearing all dark colors, consider a brighter shirt. Always keep in mind professionalism and the workplace dress code, but adding in some more approachable, friendly colors might help.

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Look for a mentor -

A mentor can be someone inside or outside your organization who can help you improve your confidence and how you can modify some behaviors in the workplace.

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Join a professional organization -

Consider joining professional organizations centered around your career or professional interests. This might give you more of a sense of community and help build your confidence at work.

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Create and share insights regularly -

Start a weekly or monthly email update for your managers or team. You could share things like industry trends, project updates, and more.

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Lead a lunch or a training session -

Try offering to host a lunch to teach on a topic you're knowledgeable about, or organize guest speakers. This can position you as the go-to person in your organization for certain information.

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Be active in cross-departmental projects -

Volunteer for things that require collaboration between teams. This can help you gain exposure outside your immediate department and, ultimately, build a stronger internal network.

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Offer to represent your team in meetings -

If your manager is often busy and can't attend all the meetings, offer to go on her behalf and report back.

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Become the "Go-To" for a specific skill -

Identify some small yet impactful part of your company and become the expert in it. This gesture can help you gain more visibility. 

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Leverage social media - Engage in internal workplace communication tools, such as Slack or Microsoft Teams, by sharing helpful tips or positive feedback.

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Share professional updates -

Establishing thoughtful leadership can give you a competitive edge and help others at your company see your accomplishments.

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Write for the company blog or newsletter - Offer to contribute articles, case studies, or employee spotlights for internal or external company communications. This can help build your significance and visibility among peers and leadership.

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Start a recognition chain -

Acknowledge and appreciate colleagues' work in meetings, emails, or otherwise. This can help boost morale and show you as someone who uplifts others.

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Schedule regular one-on-one check-ins - Request occasional casual meetings with executives or senior managers to discuss projects, career growth, or company direction.

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Proactively solve problems - Identify workflow inefficiencies and propose solutions before they become major issues. Being someone that solves problems makes you indispensable and highly visible.

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Find a new job -

If becoming visible in your current job is simply impossible, it might be time to look for a new work environment that can better suit your needs. This can also provide you with the opportunity to start anew and present yourself accordingly.

Sources: (Indeed) (Psychology Today)

See also: Mastering that first job interview or take a new career step

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