Feeling invisible at work

A reader writes:

“Dealing with a strange issue for the first time in my life. Struggling to get the recognition of my work while a colleague’s promotion and work is being announced over and over again. I’ve asked my manager about it multiple times and he hasn’t done anything despite showing the positive data for my channel. What should I do? I am losing motivation to work, but not my confidence.”

Ever found yourself working hard, and still feeling invisible? It’s frustrating, especially when colleagues receive praise while your contributions are overlooked.

I’ve been there, working late, delivering results, hitting those KPIs like the validation-seeking overachiever you are, and still feeling invisible. It’s that awkward mix of frustration and confusion when a colleague gets the accolades, yet your contributions barely get a nod.

Remote work can make this even more challenging, as out of sight can mean out of mind.

Steps to take when your hard work goes unnoticed

When recognition feels out of reach, it’s time to take charge. Instead of waiting for others to notice your efforts, focus on proactive strategies to highlight your contributions, uplift your team, and create opportunities for acknowledgment.

If when this due diligence is done, you’ll know whether or not the issue to too pervasive to stay. At the end of the day, this is about taking care of yourself first and foremost and if your organization doesn’t support you in that, preparing yourself to leave is always an option.

1. It’s not about them, it’s about you

The first time I realized I wasn’t getting the credit I deserved, I took it personally. Why didn’t my boss notice? Why wasn’t my work being highlighted?

A hard truth: your boss is busy, has biases, and sometimes when something ain’t broke, they can’t see it. In those situations, you can create a culture of acknowledgement by being a role model.

I was already keeping track of my wins and my team’s, not just the big moments but the little things outside of KPIs – the quantitative and the qualitative that makes a strong company culture.

Every small achievement was another reason to speak up in meetings or send a quick update to my manager:

"Here’s what we achieved this week: our numbers are up by X%, and I’m excited about how these ways the project is moving forward."

I didn’t wait for someone to notice. I made sure they knew.

2. Flip the script: advocate for your team

Here’s where it gets interesting: it’s tempting to focus only on yourself when you feel overlooked. But one of the best ways to shine is to lift others up.

Every time a colleague got credit, I’d jump in with something like, “Yes, and Sarah’s work on XYZ helped get it over the line with legal.” It sounds counterintuitive, but when you advocate for your team, people start seeing you as a leader, not just another contributor.

The best part? It feels good. Recognizing others improves your relationships with them and sets expectations that we show gratitude to others for working hard.

3. Get close to your enemies

I’ll admit it: I used to think the person getting all the credit was my competition. Then I realized they could be an ally, even if I don’t think they’re a good person on the inside.

Instead of resenting their recognition, I looked for ways to collaborate. If they’re on paid and I’m on organic, which words are we bidding on that I can improve the organic pages for? Can I demonstrate how my organic work helped the paid page convert, and vice versa?

Now instead of distancing myself from him, I’m right beside him and adding value that can be measured on the organic side.

4. Find other avenues for recognition

Sometimes, traditional spaces (like meetings) aren’t enough to get your desired visibility. Or waiting for your boss to hopefully remember they need to say something. That’s when you need to think outside the box.

For me, this meant stepping up in the Slack channels where I was expected to have ownership, showing that I can report on progress while also motivating the team to be creative to hit bigger goals.

I’d write things like:

• “This week’s results showed a 20% boost in engagement thanks to our new strategy of XYZ. I am excited to keep building on this!”

• “A quick win: The team saved X hours with the tool we implemented, which left us Y hours to interview customers.”

Documentation is the other place where you can solidify your past legacy and future proposals while attributing them to your name. Don’t be afraid to put musings like “2025 strategy input” into a place where you can refer to it later, even if it’s just a collection of loose ideas.

It felt awkward at first, but the more I shared, the easier it got. These passive spaces became my platform for showcasing what I brought to the table.

5. It’s okay to laugh it off

Sometimes, the only way to deal with the frustration is to get a little dark. Some fields, like marketing, glorify specific roles (paid media, anyone?) and others often have similar experiences.

Finding humor in the situation helped me bond with teammates who understood the dynamic. Those moments of shared laughter diffused a lot of my frustration and made the whole experience feel less isolating.

6. When to walk away

What happens when you’ve tried everything and nothing changes? It’s tough, but sometimes the answer is to protect your mental health and try to find a new role with a more supportive manager.

As one expert puts it:

“If a role no longer serves you, it’s okay to move on. Too many people stay in situations that don’t align with their goals out of obligation.”

It’s not an easy decision, but your work and well-being deserve an environment where your contributions are valued. Walking away isn’t giving up; it’s stepping into a space where you can truly thrive.

Remember: Your worth isn’t tied to someone else’s acknowledgment – it’s in the impact you make and the difference you bring to the table. Sometimes that confidence must come from within, in order to keep it burning intact. Good luck.