Undermined Confidence: The Hidden Impact of Workplace Dynamics on Self-Image

Working women face hidden workplace challenges impacting mental health; resilience, support systems, and self-belief are vital to overcome them.

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s high time we accepted and realized that the work-life balance of working women has taken a toll. Managing family alongside work often comes as a cakewalk for women, but did we ever take a moment to appreciate women?

According to the periodic labor force survey, 32.8% of females aged 15 and above were employed in a work setting as of October 2023.

Women have strived to sustain the difficult workplace dynamics, including jealousy, power struggles, and personal grievances, which can undermine not only an individual’s confidence but self-image as well.

Be it a young professional entering the job market or women in leadership positions, throughout their work and growth trajectory, women have reported experiencing instances that left a long-term mark, creating strong impacts on mental well-being and professional development.

Certain hidden interactions targeting women through gossip, exclusion, or biased treatments in a professional setting are often under-described yet contribute to affecting and creating a larger impact on individual and team dynamics across various industries, especially in roles where competition and power dynamics are at play.

It has been reported and noticed that evidently, women designated in authoritative and administrative positions or women moving up in the hierarchy face jealousy from peers and juniors, which may manifest as personal attacks or unfair treatment. Women in administrative or leadership roles often encounter resistance, especially from colleagues who feel threatened by their authority.

Creative professionals and young talents often are excited to embark on their corporate journey. Their performance and productivity are directly proportional to their work environment, dynamics with colleagues, and willingness to put effort into their work. However, they are equally vulnerable to being undermined and face insecurities from colleagues. Skill-based industries often involve freelancers and entrepreneurs who are susceptible to being judged based on their personal lives or lifestyle choices, which can affect their professional opportunities.

“I ended up leaving the most desired job role in one of my dream companies.” Over a cup of coffee, the conversation ignited, and we discovered that we were more interested in knowing about the all-pervasive problem in pursuit of helping the community build resilience, perhaps with some coping mechanisms, if we could find them with our research. We often wonder “why” these things happen, and several possibilities roll down, some of the most prominent factors being:

• Insecurity: Colleagues may feel insecure about their professional standing or fear being outperformed by others, leading to jealousy. This jealousy manifests in behavior that aims to undermine the confidence of the person they see as a threat.
• Cultural Differences: Cultural differences can fuel bias and lead to exclusion. For instance, in a candid conversation with a senior government employee, we discovered that she faced personal taunts due to her background.
• Perception of Threat: Individuals with solid educational or family backgrounds or assertive personalities are often seen as threats.
• Work-Life Balance Struggles: Those struggling with work-life balance or self-esteem may project their insecurities onto others, leading to gossip or passive-aggressive behavior.
• Ego and Personal Grudges: Sometimes, grudges are born out of simple misunderstandings or egos, where colleagues might assume things about someone without validating facts.

It’s often hard to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and understand what they might be going through. Still, of course, the corporate irony is that no matter how good a place it is to work or how many people are employed, it is all about individuals, their mindsets, and their behaviors. Some things are not in our control, and the impact and magnitude of specific under-discussed issues stay buried but often leave lifetime scars. These instances affect the perception and self-esteem of women in multiple ways, as highlighted below:

• Feeling Isolated and Unsupported: “I was constantly put aside in conversations; they made me feel like I don’t belong here.” Interviewees spoke of feeling lonely, unsupported, and unable to express emotions. This lack of a support system worsens self-esteem issues, making employees feel like they don’t belong in the workplace.
• Questioning Self-Worth: Constant taunts, exclusion, and gossip can lead women to doubt their abilities and self-worth, even though they are competent. A team lead at an IT firm felt emotionally drained, despite being a successful leader. “Am I even doing the right thing?” or “Shall I back off?” or “Are they still talking about me?” are some of the unforgettable echoes that still haunt some of the interviewees.
• Disturbed Mental and Physical Health: The team lead, one of the interviewees, mentioned suffering from insomnia and personality changes due to workplace stress. Over time, the emotional exhaustion from being constantly judged or excluded affects both mental and physical health. You often start questioning your personality, how you carry yourself, and how you look into the mirror; it all changes.
• Imposter Syndrome: An interior designer experienced a lack of recognition for her creative work, which led to feelings of inadequacy and reduced long-term vision for her career. The perception of being less valuable than others harms self-confidence in the long run, often even changing your short- and long-term career plans.

A sign that you find this article relatable or even close to how someone makes you feel is that it’s high time you start your journey of getting stronger today.
Here’s what to look out for and “how” to tackle it.

• Personal Attacks and Taunts: Targeted individuals often receive personal attacks, either about their background, lifestyle, or work ethic. This can include snide remarks or subtle digs meant to question their abilities.
• Isolation and Exclusion from Key Tasks: The interior designer, one of the interviewees, was excluded from receiving credit for her work, while others received recognition. A sign you’re being excluded is when you’re left out of essential discussions or credit-sharing.
• Gossip and Undermining Comments: If colleagues consistently gossip about you, your personal choices (like vacations, lifestyle), or your work, it’s a sign they may be attempting to undermine your standing in the workplace.
• Delayed Promotions or Unfair Treatment: Despite performing well, being repeatedly overlooked for promotions or recognition is a critical indicator that others are actively trying to limit your growth.
• Change in Behavior Towards You: Once women rose to positions of power, behavior toward them changed. Initially dismissive, colleagues became more respectful out of necessity, highlighting the previous effort to undermine.

These instances might have been troubling you, or you might end up feeling helpless like you’re on the edge of a wall. Here are ways, methods, and tried-and-tested coping mechanisms that will not just help you rise from your thoughts but also help you to bring about change with a positive approach to look at the bigger picture.

• Maintain a Cool and Composed Demeanor: An administrative government official, one of the interviewees, emphasized staying calm, recalled never blaming herself for the situation, and continuing to work hard. Her emotional resilience helped her navigate the difficult environment. Instead of jumping to conclusions, it’s advised to take a moment and remind yourself it’s not you at fault.
• Set Clear Boundaries: The team lead, another interviewee, eventually learned to assert herself and not allow others to undermine her. Establishing clear boundaries from day one and refusing to give power to negative opinions were crucial to her survival in the workplace, suggesting that clear boundaries must be established before it’s too late.
• Rely on Support Systems: Having a support system, whether family, friends, or mentors, played a critical role in dealing with workplace stress. Sharing experiences with loved ones can help keep reality in check and prevent the internalization of negativity.
• Confrontation or Letting Go: It is emphasized that confrontation should be done tactfully or left alone if it’s not worth the energy. Knowing when to address or let the issue pass is crucial to maintaining mental peace.
• Focus on Personal Goals: The importance of staying focused on the larger goal and not letting petty issues derail your aspirations is key. Concentrating on personal and professional growth makes it easier to rise above office politics.
• Use Hobbies or Therapy as an Outlet: Engaging in hobbies or activities you love can act as a form of therapy, whether it’s reading, spending time with friends, or enjoying creativity.
• “Sign Out”: Treat 9 to 5 as it coins itself. Practice signing out of your office physically, technically, and mentally. What happens in the office stays in the office. Prioritize family, friends, and other important things during non-office hours.
• Meditating: Keeping your mind cool and focused helps you attain a stress-free life and improve decision-making at work and home.
• ‘Be nice to people’: As you climb the corporate ladder, you eventually realize that respect is a sword. If you are genuine and kind to everyone, they rarely intentionally trouble you, even if they have a bigger heart.

And most importantly,

• BELIEVE: “The Truth always remains Truth.” Have faith in yourself and your work. Don’t let anyone affect, hamper, or question your work or your way of working.

We have been raised and embedded with values and etiquettes generous enough to help ourselves and each other since our childhood, be it a stranger or a friend. “A friend in need is a friend indeed” is something that has come a long way along with “sharing is caring,” but growing up you often accept the bitter truth of life, which is, “nothing comes free of cost.” There’s a price to pay for every investment made, be it in the form of money, effort, or time. And time, my dear, is very precious. Thus, know the perils before investing in them.

Sending strength, courage, and warmth to all the strong, independent, and fierce individuals out there!

Authors: Prof. Neha Yadav, Faculty of Marketing, FLAME University & Ms. Shruti Upadhyay, Postgraduate Student, FLAME University.