Navigating Workplace Invisibility: what to do when you’re being sidelined at work

Ever think that you might be invisible?

If that’s you at work, you may feel you’re being sidelined or overlooked.?

You may find that a role on a project you desperately wanted has been given to someone else...

Or perhaps you weren’t invited to a meeting relevant to your role...

Other signs may be that your job responsibilities start reducing gradually. The tasks that you find more challenging and fulfilling may begin to disappear and go elsewhere - you’re left with the drudge. Or perhaps you’re not being recognised for your work, or you’re left out of the loop in important and relevant discussions, or maybe you suddenly find you’re being micromanaged.

If this is happening to you, what can you do about it?

Firstly, it’s important to find out what exactly is going on. Even if you feel you’re being sidelined, it might not actually be the reality. With remote and hybrid working, it's not always easy to keep track of who’s doing what and who needs to know about things if you’re not under your manager's nose five days a week - especially if they’re under pressure or harried in any way. It may just be an oversight.

So, keep track of any evidence suggesting you’re being sidelined or ignored.

Then, have an honest conversation with your line manager. Start with outlining the projects you’re working on and how you’re contributing. Then, ask how they think it's going - if you get a vague answer, ask again, specifically for feedback on what you are doing well and can do better. Sometimes, being overlooked at work is due to a perception of poor performance, but this should be something that’s open and talked about rather than hidden behind management actions against you - no matter how well-intentioned.

If you get the response that your manager is not happy with your performance, then you need a separate conversation. This must be done at a different time when you’ve had a chance to think and prepare. You may also want HR support there. It’s hard not to get defensive in such a situation, but do listen to the feedback you’re given - and then, with your line manager, devise a plan for performance improvement and when you will be reassessed. This needs to be something that you both agree to

If your line manager is oblivious to the fact that you feel you’re being sidelined, then state what you have noticed and the impact it has had on you and your work. You need to be able to talk about the business impact of not being included in meetings and conversations and what you need from them to be able to carry out your role effectively. If you’ve been overlooked at work for a promotion or a role, you need to know why you didn’t get it and what you need to do to get your name in the frame next time.

If, after these conversations, you are told (or come to your own conclusion) that you are perceived as not having enough visibility in the organisation rather than having a performance issue, you may need to work differently. For more on this, take a look at a previous blog on visibility and brand building.

If the outcome of your discussion differs from what you expect or leaves you feeling that there is unlikely to be any improvement in the situation, then ultimately, you need to consider whether you are in the right organisation or role. But turnarounds in career fortunes do happen - so don’t give up immediately.

If you don’t feel where you should be in your career, get in touch to find out how a coaching programme with me can help - I’d love to work with you.