How to Cope With Being Sidelined

Feeling ignored or ostracised at work can undermine your confidence and your career prospects. Here’s how to empower yourself and bounce back.

At first you thought it was just an oversight. You weren’t included in an email about a key issue, or invited to a meeting about a project you were supposed to be involved in. But the evidence is mounting that you are not part of the inner circle any more. You feel isolated and when you air your views, you are ignored. Also: eyerolling.

It may feel like the worst thing in the world, and in a way it is.

Recent research by the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business showed that being ignored or ostracised has a much bigger impact on your health and morale than being outright harassed or bullied.

The researchers measured the impact of isolating events (like not being invited to meetings or left to sit alone in a workplace setting) in a survey of 1 300 people. It showed that employees who were ostracised were more likely to experience mental distress and health issues than those bullied or harassed. They were also much more likely to leave their jobs within three years than the victims Workplace ostracism is of bullying. also more prevalent, with more than

Nevertheless, the survey found that ostracising an employee is viewed as more socially acceptable of US participants in a than outright bullying recent study reporting being affected by it. or verbal harassment. Workplace ostracism is also more prevalent, with more than 70% of US participants in a recent study reporting being affected by it. (Less than a third of participants experienced harassment.)