The professional landscape of today has evolved beyond the traditional pathways of a slow and steady rise to the top. Visibility at work has, in recent times, become a crucial component of career progression and professional success. Nicknamed ‘office peacocking’, workplace visibility means that one makes an effort to make their work noticed, acknowledged and valued. Visibility can pay off in terms of being the stepping stone for individuals to be looped into important information, invited to be part of key projects,  

being part of key networks and even taking on new roles.  The importance of visibility has been further amplified with remote working, where the reduction of physical interaction requires professionals to adopt alternative and innovative methods to showcase their capabilities. So, seeking promotions or fresh horizons, or trying to create a positive change or even a new job? Then, visibility is the tool you need to place you ‘out there’ to be noticed.  

How to become visible at work?  

BE SEEN - Professionals can leverage digital platforms for better personal branding, network building and participation in virtual meetings to ensure their presence is ‘seen’ in spite of physical distances. Social media platforms such as LinkedIn have become valuable peacocking tools for showcasing your accomplishments and expertise to a wider audience, gaining both internal and external visibility about you, your work, and your skills. This strategic move may result in you being known and remembered in professional circles as well as gaining recognition and validation.  

BE HEARD - Start speaking up and contribute to meetings or any activity you are involved in. Make your presence known by giving viable ideas or expanding on the ideas given by others. You should also follow up with the key stakeholders of the meetings you attend to show interest as well as ideas you may have outside of the meeting. This effort positions you as someone who is not only able to contribute but is willing to step forward and take on responsibilities. Meetings are an excellent platform to share your successes or those of your team to a wider audience. Doing this has the potential of garnering support and resources for your activities outside of your department.  

BE BALANCED - Be visible for the right reasons by delivering consistently high-quality work. While this may seem a given, many professionals talk the talk but may not end up delivering what they promised, which may negatively impact your reputation. It is important however to note that visibility efforts must include authenticity and substance. Seeking attention for the sake of it may backfire in the long term as one would not be able to deliver on the promises made, instead, focus on adding value and meaningful contributions. What quality work does is that it enhances your reputation as a dependable and valued team member, thereby increasing your visibility and importance. It is crucial that you align your visibility to the organisation’s needs or strategic objectives. Understand what is important to the key stakeholders of your department or organisation. Knowing this would help you to tailor your visibility to show these key stakeholders how your skillsets add value to their agenda and that of the organisation. This gets you noticed faster and has the potential to earn you a place in key projects to fast-track your career.  

Employee ownership of careers involves understanding that progression and opportunities are achieved through merit, not automatically granted, which translates to proactively taking steps to fuse your merit to your visibility within and outside the organisation.  The reality remains that individuals who can effectively communicate their values and contributions are poised to thrive as the ability to make oneself seen and heard is becoming just as critical as technical expertise.  

By embracing the art of office peacocking, professionals who can strike the right balance between self-promotion and substance can harness to potent power of visibility to propel their careers.  

A note of caution, however – as you become more visible, there will be greater pressure to not just perform but to do so continuously and consistently. As such, balance your visibility with time for rest and reflection as you traverse your career.

Vijaya Malar Arumugam
School of Hospitality and Service Management  
Email: [email protected]