Do you feel valuable at work?

Six Figure Salary Coach

August 27,2019 at 3:54PM UTC

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I'm curious how many of you feel valued at work? Or do things like promotions, lack of pay increases, etc lead you to believe that your work and contributions are not valuable.

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Marianne CertoAugust 27,2019 at 5:17PM UTC
No. I feel like nothing particularly matters, and that we are all utterly replaceable, and that my company doesn't care about any of us. My boss is great, I like my team, but the company overall is like most-- it cares primarily about the bottom line, and that line is not the workers.
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Six Figure Salary CoachAugust 27,2019 at 5:19PM UTC
Have you been with your current employer for a while? or has that been your experience pretty much anywhere?
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Marianne CertoAugust 27,2019 at 5:24PM UTC
I have felt that way at multiple employers, usually bigger companies or companies that cannot afford to value employees the way we all feel it most-- in our wages. I have been at my current company a little over 5 years. In my initial position, I regularly received bonuses for my good work, but was passed over for a promotion for a couple metrics being off by half a percent one month and 1.5% another month. In my current position, there's no overtime, no bonuses, no room for promotions, and the annual increase is not even on par with cost of living. I do feel that my company has good benefits beyond our wages, but the wages affect employees' lives more than most other things, so I find it hard to feel valued when I struggle to pay bills while living very modestly.
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Six Figure Salary CoachAugust 27,2019 at 6:58PM UTC
In your current role, do you feel like your quality of work warrants a promotion and/or increase?
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Marianne CertoAugust 27,2019 at 7:02PM UTC
Yes. i am doing more "special project" type assignments, many of which require me to be the one that determines how they are accomplished because they are things that never existed for us, and I have more responsibilities. But our annual increases are typically 3% or less. As I say, that's not even on par with cost of living.
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Six Figure Salary CoachAugust 27,2019 at 7:46PM UTC
That's awesome! Sounds like you have a lot to be proud of!
Have you thought about asking for more and putting a strong business case behind it? If you are interested, I have a FB group that does free training and live Q&As on how to properly define your value and request increases (and promotions) so you aren't sitting around and waiting for something to be offered to you. Would you be interested in the link to the group?
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Marianne CertoAugust 27,2019 at 8:44PM UTC
Sure! Thank you!
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Six Figure Salary CoachAugust 27,2019 at 10:08PM UTC
No problem at all! Here's the link! I look forward to getting to know you better :)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LiberateYouWomensNetwork/about/
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Peg BittnerAugust 27,2019 at 5:33PM UTC
I never really worried about feeling valuable at work, I just knew it deep inside of me. If you just look at what you do and how it fits into the chain of events for the business you will discover every job from the maintaience worker's to the CEO is a valuable member of the company. If one position was eliminated, it would cause a domino effect of problems that would escalate as they traveled through the corporate chain. There is no such title as "justa" mail clerk or "justa" dispatcher. Titles are nothing but identification labels, a person makes the position respectable, not the title. A mail clerk is no "justa" mail clerk, that clerk is an external communications director. As for the dispatcher, they are not "justa" dispatcher, but a logistic designer coordinator.
You are a value and valuable to your company. You just didn't know until I told you. Work places generally let you know by consistently paying you. As for raises, who knows unless you ask. Remember there are no "justas" and titles just identify what you do they don't describe you.
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Six Figure Salary CoachAugust 27,2019 at 6:59PM UTC
There is certainly a lot of VALUE in believing in your own worth and contribution. I know for myself, my employers have never drastically gone above and beyond their basic responsibilities - but I always felt valuable because I knew my output was of high standards. I knew that without me, they would be lost.
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AnonymousAugust 27,2019 at 5:40PM UTC
My current company puts on a good public face, "best places to work" and all that, but the bottom line is that we are cogs in a machine and a job is a job not your life. Sure they want you to be devoted to them but they are only devoted in you as long as you keep making your widgets. They don't value you as a person, they value your value in making widgets.
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Six Figure Salary CoachAugust 27,2019 at 6:59PM UTC
Do you believe that the service you provide them is valuable?
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AnonymousAugust 28,2019 at 2:18PM UTC
I do, but the folks I work with have no idea all the things myself and my team do which enable them to do their jobs, we are a support department so essentially seen as invisible. If my team failed to show up for a week, the place would come to a halt yet we are terribly under appreciated.
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Six Figure Salary CoachAugust 28,2019 at 6:11PM UTC
Yeaaa! Understand that. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. I see that all the time - efficient teams get little attention (because they don't need it.....). Companies can quickly overlook departments that don't need attention, so all your accomplishments can go unnoticed.
But, that doesn't mean it isn't a frustrating experience!!
Have you thought about asking for more and putting a strong business case behind it? If you are interested, I have a FB group that does free training and live Q&As on how to properly define your value and request increases (and promotions) so you aren't sitting around and waiting for something to be offered to you. Would you be interested in the link to the group?
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AnonymousAugust 28,2019 at 7:19PM UTC
Our organization is not interested in growing or enhancing support teams (HR, IT, Facilities) all efforts and accomplishments are reserved for the business focused groups. We are not eligible for bonus, promotion, recognition. This isn't my view, it's part of our corporate strategy and laid out annually in our company meeting.
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Six Figure Salary CoachAugust 28,2019 at 7:25PM UTC
So, lets start by asking how your team supports the business. When I coach, I draw ALL contributions back to the business. Everything that everyone does, supports the profitability of the business. No one is there for no apparent reason. There is always a reason and a way to tie back to the businesses profitability. It's just hard to figure this out alone (which is some of what I offer in that group I mentioned earlier)
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AnonymousAugust 28,2019 at 9:02PM UTC
We are a non profit, and again, I know the contribution my team and I make, but the "business" folks take us for granted, you asked if we felt valued, the answer is no. It has come up time and time again in survey questions, those of us in support roles are ignored and marginalized because we don't directly contribute to the bottom line. We have been referred to as "overhead" or "takers not givers" when discussions have been had.
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Jackie RukaAugust 27,2019 at 5:58PM UTC
Thanks for the article, it seems as much as unemployment appears low, more and more work is being placed on employees for less pay causing more workers to take a second job. Companies have gotten leaner which is definitely pushing upon the employees and hindering morale. Albeit, it's great to have a job, cost of living continues to rise,where wages are staying the same. Thus, more people are looking for better jobs for more pay, hence the very competitive ob market with more and more people competing for who has the best resume and many being looked over due to overwhelm of job applicants. It is surely a process that requires more balance for all involved. Thanks for sharing!
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AnonymousAugust 27,2019 at 7:04PM UTC
thanks for this!
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Lady PeleAugust 28,2019 at 12:41PM UTC
My company is small (about 110 people), but was acquired by a larger company of about 4,000. We wear a lot of hats in the smaller company, and I do feel valued and respected here. Other than having some leadership of the larger company attend company meetings, I don't feel a part of the new parent company, so don't feel valued by them.
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Six Figure Salary CoachAugust 28,2019 at 2:04PM UTC
Acquisitions are hard! I have been through it 2x and it can be very difficult. Going from a small organization to a corporate structure can be very frustrating. I love working for smaller (but successful) companies so when both those companies were acquired it was a hard transition.
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SandraAugust 29,2019 at 11:58PM UTC
I think it largely depends on your direct report. I had a boss who built his team of human assets that made up for his deficiencies. In other words, your value lies in how good you make him look.
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Jackie RukaAugust 30,2019 at 3:15PM UTC
Yes a manager can make or break you in many aspects and so sorry you had to be a part of feeling de-valued. That is such an old paradigm but on a high note, so glad you are here to share and receive support!
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bfazi216September 4,2019 at 3:15PM UTC
Feeling valued at work can be challenging & often disappointing when we look to others for acknowledgement & validation.
The best way to navigate thru is to be realistic about your expectations & understand the culture.
Some managers are in touch with their staff/team and take a positive approach by mentoring & guiding.
Other managers may believe giving praise or compliments will only have their team become “lazy” & not work hard....so NOT true!
And still others do not care as it’s more about the company goals, projects & profits then the employees.
This to me is quite unfortunate as the greatest asset to every company (regardless of size) IS THE employee!
I’ve found it best to identify the style of manager for whom I work & align my expectations realistically so to not be “shopping for bread in a hardware store” so to speak.
Meaning...you can get what you want or need from someone or a company whose core values do not align with yours.
Take the experience you get...learn & grow & find value in YOU from within.
Or...look for a new job where their culture is aligned with yours.
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Liz BuiSeptember 4,2019 at 3:45PM UTC
I definitely don't feel valued at work. I think we all look at value differently though. For me, it is human interaction and a thank you for the things that I do. Currently, my company culture is one of indulgence and gluten, so they think that they can just feed you and give you no limit to spending on work related items as a way of valuing their employees but all that does is create a work culture where they think money can buy people's happiness. I agree that momentarily it does, but ultimately I am not happy, so I also don't feel valued as a person.
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