(Invisible) Labor Day
This Labor Day, I’m thinking about the labor we don’t see.
When people picture work, they think of visible outcomes like projects finished, deadlines met, and services delivered. What often goes unnoticed is the invisible effort behind it. The late nights spent teaching yourself new systems, the quiet mentoring of a teammate, the constant adapting to policies and tools that change without warning.
This hidden labor fuels every success, yet it rarely makes it into a performance review. More often than not, it is the learning, the effort of staying adaptable, resourceful, and curious, that carries the greatest weight.
What leaders can do
If you want to honor Labor Day in a meaningful way, start recognizing the hidden learning your team is doing every day. A few simple but powerful ways to do this:
- Name it out loud. In meetings, acknowledge not just what was accomplished, but what was learned in the process.
- Make space for learning. Block off regular time for development instead of expecting people to squeeze it in after hours. Even ninety minutes a month dedicated to skill building can make a big difference.
- Reward curiosity. Celebrate when someone experiments, shares knowledge, or asks a thoughtful question, not just when they deliver a polished result.
- Check workloads realistically. Hidden labor adds up. If someone is quietly carrying the weight of mentoring, onboarding, or constantly adjusting to new systems, that effort deserves recognition.
What you can do if you’re carrying hidden labor
Of course, not everyone has a manager who will notice or call out this effort. Many of us carry invisible responsibilities quietly, and the cost can add up if it goes unchecked. If you find yourself in that position, there are a few practical steps that can help:
- Track it. Keep a simple log of the time you spend learning new tools, training others, or troubleshooting beyond your official tasks. This helps make invisible work visible when it comes time to ask for support or recognition.
- Set boundaries. It is easy to say yes to every request for help or knowledge sharing, but not every ask is urgent or yours to own. Decide what is sustainable and protect your time.
- Build peer learning circles. If you are the go-to person, create small groups where knowledge is shared more broadly instead of funneled through you. This spreads responsibility and reduces burnout.
- Ask for clarity. If you are learning on your own because expectations are unclear, push for better guidance. Ambiguity is often a hidden labor driver.
- Acknowledge your own growth. Even if others do not see it yet, remind yourself that adapting and learning in real time is a skill that makes you more resilient, resourceful, and valuable.
Taking these steps does not erase the fact that hidden labor is real, but it does help ensure you are not carrying it silently or at the expense of your own well-being.
Closing Reflection
Labor Day is about honoring work, but real honor comes when we acknowledge both what is seen and what is hidden. The meetings you run, the deadlines you hit, the systems you master quietly at night, all of it counts.
This week, give yourself credit for the learning you have carried, the mentoring you have offered, and the patience you have shown while adapting to change. And if you lead others, take a moment to call out not just the finished product, but the invisible effort that made it possible.
Because when hidden labor becomes recognized labor, people feel valued in a way that a long weekend alone cannot deliver.
