The feeling of becoming invisible in your own office, with your achievements and efforts going unnoticed, is familiar to many. Sometimes it seems that a colleague or even a manager deliberately downplays your contributions, making you question your competence. This sense of emptiness and frustration can seriously undermine professional morale. But before making any drastic decisions, it’s important to understand what is really happening—is this an objective reality or a product of your imagination fueled by daily stress?
Renowned Spanish psychologist Pilar Conde suggests starting by drawing a line between genuine harassment and your own assumptions. In her view, the fast-paced rhythm of modern corporate life often distorts our perception. We may interpret neutral actions by colleagues as hostile, especially if our self-confidence is already shaky. However, there are specific signs indicating that someone is indeed trying to “put you in your place.” Among them are constant criticism, ridicule—especially in public—the assignment of obviously doomed tasks, or exclusion from interesting projects. If you notice these patterns and your body responds with anxiety or insomnia, it’s worth paying attention to these signals.
When you realize that the belittling of your achievements is not just your imagination, but a deliberate tactic, your first reaction is often to want to drop everything and leave. Slam the door and start fresh somewhere else. Experts advise against acting on impulse or making hasty decisions. Instead, she suggests asking yourself three key questions. First, analyze the source of the negativity: is it coming from a specific coworker, a boss with personal issues, or is it part of the company’s overall culture? Second, assess honestly whether you really want to stay in such a ‘toxic’ environment, keeping your financial needs and career prospects in mind. And third, consider whether quitting right now will actually help your self-esteem, or if it might make the situation worse.
Escaping an uncomfortable situation is rarely the best solution. Psychologists insist that you should leave not from a victim’s mindset, but from a place of strength and conscious choice. Before handing in your resignation, it’s worth mastering a few important skills: learn to manage difficult workplace relationships, rebuild your professional self-confidence, and most importantly, establish personal boundaries. Not only will this help you handle the current period more calmly, but it will also serve as invaluable experience for your future career.
To strengthen your inner resilience, the expert offers several practical recommendations. Stop seeking approval from management—become your own main critic and supporter. Avoid unnecessary justifications if you’re uncertain; trust your experience. Take on new, more responsible tasks with confidence—this is the best way to master new skills and prove your capability to yourself. Break the habit of double-checking your work excessively if it’s driven by fear rather than necessity. If you do make a mistake, acknowledge it without unnecessary explanation and focus on solving the problem. And finally, learn to assertively say no when you feel under pressure, for example, with a phrase like: “Я понимаю вашу позицию, но мне некомфортен тон нашего разговора.”
Today, more and more companies in Spain are realizing that a healthy workplace atmosphere is not a luxury, but a key factor in retaining valuable employees. Improving the situation may require you to initiate a difficult conversation. Yet it is this very step that can become the first on the road to restoring your professional dignity and comfort at work.
