How to Make Your Voice Heard in the Workplace
Do you feel like your work is noticed and appreciated? Or do you feel like you are constantly being pushed to the side in the office? If you feel like you are being silenced rather than empowered at work, you need to learn these strategies to make sure you are recognized. You need to be able to stand up for yourself and be appreciated for all the things that you do! Start following these little pieces of advice today to help you become the stronger, more confident employee that you need to be!
Keep a “Wins” Journal
A good way to show your work value is by tracking your successes. You can start a notebook or journal where you write down every time you achieve something, whether big or small. For example, you might finish a task early or help a coworker with a problem. Even small wins are significant because they show you are always helping out. When you have a meeting or review, you can look at your journal and see all the good things you’ve done. It can also make you feel better when you’re having a bad day and feel like you’re not doing enough. Over time, this list of successes will help you speak up for yourself at work.
Create Your Opportunities
Waiting for someone to give you a chance can keep you stuck. Instead, try making your chances. If you see something you want to work on or a problem that needs fixing, step up and offer to help. This shows that you are not just waiting but taking action. It also shows that you can be a leader who gets things done. Doing this makes you stand out and shows others you want to improve. Making your chances shows you are active, and many managers like that.
Use Positive Language About Yourself
The words you use to talk about yourself can change how people see you. If you often say things like, “I’m not sure,” or “This might not be a good idea,” people might not take you seriously. Instead, use solid and positive words like, “I believe this will work” or “I’m sure about my plan.” How you talk about yourself can make a big difference in how others see your skills. Using positive words shows that you believe in yourself. When you believe in yourself, it helps others believe in you, too.
Set Regular Check-ins with Your Manager
One of the best ways to stay on track and speak up for yourself is having regular meetings with your manager. Instead of waiting for a yearly review, ask for short meetings every month or two. You can tell your manager about your work in these meetings and ask for feedback. It’s also an excellent time to ask if you can take on more tasks or discuss how you want to grow. These meetings show you are serious about getting better and caring about your job. Mundane check-ins can help you stay focused and improve.
Know When to Ask for a Raise
Speaking up for yourself also means knowing how much you should be paid. If you have been in your job for a while and have done a lot of good work, it might be time to ask for a raise. Check your job’s average pay to ensure your request is fair. When you ask for a raise, give clear examples of your work and how it helped the company. Be confident when you ask, and remember that asking for a raise is a way of showing your value.
Develop Strong Relationships with Key People
Making strong friendships at work can help you speak up for yourself better. Take time to get to know your manager and other important people in the company. These could be senior workers, team leaders, or people from different departments. Knowing them can help you stand out and may lead to new opportunities. When more people know about your skills and hard work, they are more likely to support you. These relationships can make it easier for you to speak up when needed. Having people who believe in you at work is very helpful.
Speak Up When Something Isn’t Working
A big part of standing up for yourself is being honest when something at work isn’t working for you. It could be a tool, a process, or how your team works. Don’t be scared to speak up and share your concerns. It’s better to talk about the problem early before it gets worse. Be clear about why something isn’t working and give ideas for how to fix it. This shows that you’re not just complaining but trying to make things better. Speaking up helps others see that you care about improving the situation.
Share Your Goals with Your Team
Telling others about your career goals is an excellent way to stand up for yourself. If your manager or team doesn’t know what you want, they won’t be able to help you. Share your goals in meetings or one-on-one talks and ask if there are chances to help you reach them. People will like that you are open about what you want, and they might think of you for future projects. Talking about your goals shows that you are serious about growing and improving. It also shows that you are focused on your career and want to improve.
Practice Self-Promotion Without Guilt
Many people feel bad about talking about their achievements because they don’t want to seem like they are bragging. But standing up for yourself means you must share your successes, and that’s okay. You can talk about your work humbly by focusing on the results, not just saying, “I did this.” For example, instead of just saying you worked on a project, you could say, “The project I worked on helped increase sales by 10%.” This way, you focus on what you achieved, not just what you did. It makes it easier to share your success without feeling uncomfortable. Talking about your results simply shows your value.
Build Skills That Match Your Goals
Another good way to stand up for yourself is by learning new skills. If you want to grow in your career, figure out what skills you need for the next step and start learning them. This shows you care about getting better and are ready for new chances. You can take an online class or ask someone with more experience to teach you. Learning new skills is a way to show you’re serious about your growth. It also helps you be ready for future opportunities. Gaining new skills shows you’re committed to improving yourself.
Show Your Problem-Solving Abilities
Companies like employees who can solve problems without always needing help. When you face a problem at work, try to fix it yourself before asking someone else. If possible, develop a few solutions and share them with your manager. This shows that you can handle things independently and think of answers well. It proves that you are capable and can be trusted to solve problems. This helps you stand up for yourself and builds trust with your team and boss. It shows you are a valuable worker who can get things done.
Know When to Walk Away
Standing up for yourself sometimes means knowing when to leave a situation or job. It might be time to go if you’ve tried everything to improve things at work, but nothing changes. Your happiness and health are important, and staying in a place that doesn’t value you can hurt both—knowing when to leave shows that you care about yourself and your well-being. It’s one of the strongest ways to stand up for yourself. Leaving a bad situation means you are looking for better chances where people will see your value. Respecting yourself enough to move on is an intelligent decision.
Be Available
If you go to work, close your office door, and stay at your desk all day, people won’t find you to be very inviting. You need to make sure you are available when needed and not closed off from the rest of the workplace. Don’t put your headphones on or keep your door closed. Be open to conversations, and this, in turn, will make people listen to what you have to say as well. Your voice can only be heard if you are available for the conversations!
Communicate Differently
Constantly sending emails as your only method of communication may not work. If you really want your voice to be heard, you need to communicate in different ways. Try calling people on their work phones, sending emails, setting up in-person meetings, or simply shooting over a text. Different methods of communication will help you establish your voice in more ways than one and help you see which works best. Don’t be known as the “email-only” person in the office! Branch out and you’ll be heard more.
Know Your Worth
Knowing how much you are worth to your company is essential. Anytime you are feeling undervalued, remember that your employer needs you to complete the job. You were hired for a reason, so feel free to remind your employer that there are many other opportunities out there for you. You can even go so far as to look for other jobs that would match your skill set and let your employer know that you have options. This may help them recognize your value to the company and treat you in a better way.
Standing up for yourself at work doesn’t happen overnight. Asking for what you deserve takes time, practice, and confidence. You can do this by keeping track of your successes, making your chances, or learning new skills. Each step helps you feel more confident.
