Signs That You're Not Valued at Work

We all need respect, consideration, and recognition in our jobs. We're going to explore the signs that suggest you're not sufficiently recognized in the workplace.

Written and verified by the psychologist Elena Sanz.

Last update: 10 June, 2023

You spend at least a third of your life in the workplace. Moreover, what happens there has a strong impact on your mental health, well-being, and general satisfaction. Different factors influence these feelings. One of the most relevant is the degree to which you feel appreciated and recognized. However, what happens when you’re not valued at work?

This may interest you, especially if you’re experiencing job demotivation. As we said, other factors influence how you feel at work. For instance, whether or not you’ve chosen a job according to your abilities and interests (Rottinghaus et al., 2009). Moreover, poor human resources in the workplace may lead you to feel frustrated and lack commitment.

Signs that you’re not valued at work

Ideally, all organizations should make it a priority that their employees feel valued, satisfied, and supported in their professional growth. Not only for the individual’s well-being but for the favorable impact on the organization.

In fact, it’s been observed that job satisfaction is closely and positively related to productivity. This is revealed in an article published in the journal, Revista Latinoamericana de Investigación en Organizaciones, Ambiente y Sociedad.

Despite this fact, most people don’t feel valued in their work. Indeed, according to data provided by the Gallup consulting and analysis firm, only 21 percent of workers globally are engaged in their jobs. This is because the necessary improvements aren’t employed to recognize their value and satisfy their needs.

But, how do you know if you’re not valued at work? Here are some signs.

1. They don’t recognize your worth

An employment contract is a transaction. You offer your time, knowledge, and experience in exchange for a salary. But, your employers should also recognize your good work, especially if you show yourself to be committed, diligent, and decisive.

In organizations in which the worker’s efforts aren’t seen or recognized, they’re not valued. According to the book, 12: The Elements of Great Managing, written by the Gallup organization, good companies must offer praise and consider employees’ progress.

2. There are no possibilities for promotion

One of the keys to maintaining work motivation lies in there being the possibility of promotion. Therefore, any company that values its workers should offer them. These possibilities can be presented in different ways. They might range from a salary increase due to seniority, experience, or years worked, to the option of assuming greater responsibilities or promotion.

A survey conducted by PayScale indicates that wanting a higher salary or feeling that they deserve it and not getting it is one of the main keys that lead employees to leave their jobs.

3. They don’t listen to you

An organization is made up of a group of people who pool their work and efforts to achieve objectives. Even though there’s a hierarchy and designees who direct each project, employees must have space to offer their opinions.

If your voice isn’t heard in your company, there’s no space for your suggestions for improvement, and nobody is willing to collect your feedback. This is one of the signs that you’re not valued at work. In reality, it means they’re not making the effort to involve you in the organization.

4. You feel that you don’t matter

As stated in the guide developed by Gallup, a company that values and respects its employees makes them feel that they matter as human beings. There should be an open and understanding attitude on the part of the supervisors, time flexibility, along with a willingness to solve any disputes.

Companies that only seek to benefit from the employee exert excessive pressure to ensure that they achieve the objectives set, but they don’t care about their well-being. Stress and burnout syndrome are then generated, negatively affecting employees’ satisfaction and mental health (Dimitrios & Konstantinos, 2014).

5. You’re stuck

Your job is the vehicle for developing your potential. It offers you new challenges adapted to your interests and abilities.

As the book First, Break All the Rules notes, an organization that exercises good leadership motivates and fosters the personal development of its workers. It helps them identify and overcome their weaknesses and provides learning opportunities. If you feel stuck and don’t see any opportunities and there’s no support for you to grow and improve, your company may not value you.

6. You can’t be yourself

Finally, consideration, respect, and recognition of your work are lacking if you’re not allowed to be yourself. One of the main responsibilities of HR departments is to achieve a good fit between employees and their positions. Therefore, they should always take into account an employee’s qualities and the requirements of the job.

If you possess great skills and an interest in teamwork and are placed in an extremely competitive position, you’ll be uncomfortable and dissatisfied, and your qualities will be overlooked. A company that values you knows how to recognize your strengths and allows you to deploy them on a daily basis.

Your internal state will help you understand if you’re not valued at work

As you can see, there doesn’t need to be mobbing, harassment, or exclusion of any kind for you not to feel valued at work. What makes the difference are small daily actions and, above all, the culture and work style of the organization.

Small companies and multinationals can’t be measured on the same scale, since their resources and means aren’t the same. Your internal state is the best way of knowing if you’re appreciated, respected, and recognized in your job. If not, anxiety, sadness, dissatisfaction, and frustration will be a constant.

The decisions you make will depend on your situation, along with your possibilities and needs. But, it’s important to take action. Otherwise, your physical and psychological health may significantly suffer.