What to Do If You're Undervalued at Work | Christine Confronts Work

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1:11Let's get valued at work.

1:21I definitely felt like I was sort of being used in a way, like used to do some of the grunt work or some of the tasks that nobody else wanted to do. And then the higher positions were getting all the credit for it. That's Andrea Long. She's the head of talent engagement at Upstart. She also manages a lot of side businesses and does consultation and workshop facilitation. She's thought a lot about what makes employees feel valued at work. I sort of just felt like othered. Like I was sort of in a corner by myself and everybody that was in positions of power above me was getting all of this recognition all of these like spot bonuses all of these rewards both monetary and not and i just sort of felt like i was in the background sort of being overlooked so it definitely wasn't a good feeling if you're having feelings that kind of sound like this we're here to help here's the first step on how to get started

2:14before you do anything drastic you need to know what you want so really look inward and kind of pinpoint exactly why you're feeling undervalued. For example, maybe your title doesn't match up with your job. Or maybe you want to work on projects that have a little bit more visibility. So for this step, it's really important to examine what is it that you really want that you're not getting right now. So for example, it could be a spot bonus, it could be a change in title, but it also could be like just access to leadership or just better feedback from your boss. Whatever it is, think about, are you excited about it?

2:46One of your friends might be totally motivated by a$200 gift card to Netflix. But that might not mean as much to you, right? You might just want to be recognized in your team meeting. So it's really personal and we have to ask ourselves some questions to determine which reward is the one that we're really seeking. Now you want to initiate a conversation with your manager and ask for what you want. Oh yeah, I said ask your manager. Probably feeling nervous even thinking about it, and that's totally okay. But you have to say something if you want anything to change. Anyway, maybe your manager isn't even aware of the problem.

3:28My recommendation is to be really clear with yourself what you want your manager to take away from the conversation, and then build a script around those talking points, and practice, practice, practice, practice, so that you can get used to and comfortable with saying these things that you might not say every day. Do lead with curiosity. You want to be asking a lot of questions. Like, for example, I was just curious how bonuses are rewarded. Or I was wondering, how are people selected? Good sleep is everything. That's why Oli's science back support is made with a blend of melatonin and L-theanine for both kiddos and grownups.

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4:40slash podcast. That's indeed.com slash podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need a hiring hero? This is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs. To be on this particular project, don't use the phrase I want or I need. You want the whole thing to feel collaborative, not just one-sided demands. And finally, don't actually say the word undervalued. I know you've been using it a lot in this video, but when you're talking to your manager, just stick to the specifics. I would say, hey manager, thanks for the time today. I would really love to just talk about recognition for the shout outs that people get on our team call.

5:19I noticed that so-and-so and so-and-so often get called out in these meetings and it's so amazing to see their work and I'm glad to be able to support them. But I would also love to be able to be featured so that folks across our team can know what I'm working on and really be able to support me as well. Is there anything that I can do to position myself better to gain a shout out in that meeting. Okay, I might have lied. There's one more don't for you, which is don't be scared of having these types of conversations with your manager. I mean, it's hard, but think of it this way. You'll have clarity one way or another.

5:54And anyway, it's great to normalize candid conversations. So you probably don't need me to paint a picture for you, but we're just going to do it. Say you're in a meeting and everything's going well and you say something, an idea, and everyone's like, eh, it's fine. And then later someone basically says what you said and then everyone's like, yeah, I love that idea. Like emojis are flying, the chat's blowing up, and you're just sitting there like, what? What do you do now? If you're comfortable speaking up at the moment, you can say something like, hey, I am so glad that you agree with my earlier point and that we're on the same page about this.

6:32Andrea also suggests the tried and true yes and technique. And this way you can clearly point out to the group what happened, but in a nice way. You can also reach out to that person privately afterwards. Andrea gives an example. Just say, hey, I'm not sure if you noticed, but you did repeat the same idea that I had and you just said it a little bit louder and everybody really, really loved it. But I just want to make sure you recognize that I did say that as well. And I want to make sure that, you know, we both get credit for this idea. Speaking up can be kind of tricky and definitely a little bit uncomfortable.

7:05But think about this. Inaction is the worst option here. Just think about it as educating your co-workers so they may not do this to someone else another time. Also, you might want to seek support from your manager or other allies to speak up on your behalf. And if that's not working, here's what you do. What if you're in a meeting like that and your manager doesn't come to your defense? What do you do? How do you bring that up? Yeah. So that's, again, when I would use that time to try to advocate for yourself if you're in that meeting. And then I would ask your manager later on and say, hey, you know, so and so sort of stole my idea or mentioned it after I mentioned it.

7:42In future instances, would you be able to support me in this way? So really being direct and clear with your manager in a friendly way. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Listening to this podcast instead of doom scrolling, smart move. Another smart move? getting help from one of State Farm's 19 ,000 local agents when you choose to bundle home and auto bundling, just another way to save with the personal price plan prices are based on rating plans that vary by state coverage options are selected by the customer availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state tomorrow morning is knocking stock your fridge now how about a creamy mocha frappuccino drink or a sweet vanilla smooth caramel maybe or white chocolate mocha whichever you choose delicious coffee awaits find starbucks frappuccino drinks wherever you buy your groceries in approachable way of what you need and how you need them to respond in this instance to feel most supported in the workplace sometimes it's hard to celebrate your work without it feeling like you're bragging so that's why i absolutely love this tip that andrea learned and passed on to us it's super easy basically if anyone asks you hey how's it going you can use the opportunity to share your wins just a teeny tiny bit.

8:57You can say, I'm doing so well. I just completed this project and we were able to hire three people from the partnership that I launched. Being able to answer in a way that basically like sort of drops or brags about the work that you were doing, but it's doing it sort of subtly. You're still answering their question. You're telling them how great you are. It's really smooth. I'm like, yeah, that's a great day you're having.

9:26Depending where you sit in the organization or what projects you're working on, it's very possible that not a lot of people know who you are or what you do. And plus, with hybrid and remote offices everywhere, it's really tricky. So how do you get out there? Even if you're not in a job that you think you can sort of quantify your impact, you are. Everybody can. For example, my first job out of college, I was working for an international business school and I was moving their classroom recordings from cassette tape to digital. It was one of the most painful things that I've done for 40 hours a week, just literally moving it from tape to digital.

10:05And, um, I thought that, you know, I couldn't show my impact in that role. Like what am I really doing? But being able to show how I was getting faster over time, being able to say, Hey, when I first started, I was converting three classes and two months later, I'm doing five classes a day. Many things can be quantifiable, so definitely try to think about your impact in that way. Andrea also suggests asking yourself, how can I contribute to the company culture? So in a lot of places, there are like employee resource groups, advisor councils, et cetera, things you can volunteer for. And that way you can meet and kind of be visible to a lot of cool people across the organization.

10:43And also the work that you do will potentially affect everyone in the company. If the needle's not moving, like how long do I wait until I just realize it's time to go? Yeah, so it's definitely important that you give it a fair try, right? I would love to get rid of the old school mentality that you have to stay at a job for X number of years. We're kind of destroying that myth right now across the industry, especially with millennials and Gen Z really taking over. Ask yourself if this job is worth sticking out. Are you aligned with the company's values? Is this job in service of your larger career goals?

11:23You'll have to reflect, but one thing you should not be self-conscious about is leaving when the time is right for you. Finally, I would say that if your current job is a risk to you physically or mentally from a health perspective, it's time to go. Whether that means taking a medical leave or leaving the company, it's really important for us to put us first. And so being able to assess like, I am so stressed that my body is physically ill or my mental health is really struggling. Like those are the times when we should seriously assess either leave or finding a new role. Have no fear. Chosen Foods is here to defend your favorite foods from the forces of seedy oils and sketchy ingredients.

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