Do You Know Your Worth At Work?
3 signs you're undervalued (and what to do about It)
Feeling undervalued at work is a frustrating and demotivating experience. When your skills and contributions aren’t recognized, it’s easy to feel like you’re just going through the motions.
How can you tell if you’re really being undervalued, or if it’s just your imagination?
Sign #1: Your responsibilities are growing, but your title (and pay) aren’t.
Are you consistently taking on more projects and tasks, but your title and pay remain stagnant? This is a common sign that your employer values your contributions, but isn’t willing to fairly compensate you for them.
According to a survey by Glassdoor, the average employee can expect a 10–15% raise with a promotion. If you’re doing substantially more work but not seeing a bump in pay, it may be time to ask for a raise — or start looking elsewhere.
Actionable Tip: Document your ideas with timestamps and details on how they benefit the company. Prepare a solid case for a promotion and salary increase, backed up by hard data. Here’s a helpful guide on how to ask for a raise
Sign #2: Your ideas are ignored, but implemented later
Do you find that your suggestions are frequently ignored, only to see them implemented months later? I’ve shared ideas and proposals with managers in the past. They were dismissed initially and suddenly, I saw a variation of my ideas presented by others as their own.
This is a clear sign that your employer doesn’t value you as much as they should. Experiencing this is a recipe for employee disengagement and “quiet-quitting”.
Actionable Tip: Start documenting your ideas before sharing them, and specify how they’ll benefit the company. If your ideas continue to be ignored, it’s time to seek a workplace that respects your creative input. Here’s a resource to help you deal with coworkers stealing your ideas.
Sign #3: You’re stagnating in your career while colleagues advance.
Are you feeling stuck in your role while coworkers are getting promoted? A lack of career progression opportunities despite strong performance is a sign your potential is not being recognized.
Actionable Tip: Schedule a meeting with your manager to discuss your career goals and aspirations. Be prepared with a specific plan of what you need to grow professionally. If opportunities aren’t available, don’t be afraid to move on. Explore other companies that invest in employee development. Here’s advice on how to have the career development conversation.
Don’t settle for feeling undervalued. Take action today and find a workplace that appreciates who you are and what you bring to the table.
What are some other signs of being undervalued at work?