Worthy Wednesdays: The Unseen Economy – Valuing Invisible Labor in Your Community (WORTH EDITION)

Not all labor comes with a title or can be input into a spreadsheet.

Not all contributions come with credit.

This week, I’m spotlighting the unseen efforts that hold our communities, teams, and relationships together - the emotional buffering, the quiet organising, the invisible mentoring, the care work that rarely makes it into job descriptions or performance reviews.

It’s easy to overlook this kind of labour because we’re conditioned to value what we can measure. But when we name what’s been invisible, we begin to rewrite what we honour. And honouring something is the first step to transforming it.

Let’s bring the unseen into focus. Because what we value shapes what we build.

In solidarity and spotlight,

💫 Grace

⚡ Spark Insight

💡 The most vital work in our communities and workplaces often happens behind the scenes.

It’s the emotional buffering, the quiet mentoring, the culture-bridging, the community-tending. It’s checking in when someone’s struggling. Keeping the peace in meetings. Remembering birthdays. Coordinating the care no one asked for but everyone needs.

We overlook this labor because it doesn’t show up on a spreadsheet or get a promotion. But it shapes culture, cohesion, and trust.

👉 When we start to name this work, we start to transform the systems that depend on it.

🌀 Shift Perspective

🔄 If we only value what is seen, we reinforce what is unequal.

Systems of worth have long favoured what is monetised and measurable. But value is not limited to pay checks or public praise.

The question is not whether invisible labour exists. It is whether we are willing to honour it as foundational, not peripheral—to how we thrive.

This is about redistributing recognition. It is about widening the lens on what truly sustains us.​​

🧘 Self-Reflection

🪞 Consider:

• Who in your life performs essential tasks that often go unacknowledged?

• What forms of invisible labour do you contribute, and how do you feel about their recognition?

• How can you actively honour and support the unseen work within your community?

🚶‍♀️Step Forward

🛠️ TOOL OR RESOURCE: Book – Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change by Angela Garbes

In Essential Labor, Angela Garbes delves into the critical yet undervalued work of caregiving, particularly mothering. Drawing from her Filipinx heritage and personal experiences, Garbes highlights how caregiving is foundational to society and advocates for its recognition as essential labor.

📖 Explore the book: ​Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change​

This resource offers a global perspective on caregiving and challenges us to reevaluate how we value care work in our communities.

🌱 Small Challenge

⚡ This week’s Worth Move:

Identify one person whose behind-the-scenes efforts have positively impacted your life. Reach out to express your gratitude and acknowledge their contributions.

📝 Examples:

• If a colleague consistently ensures meetings run smoothly, thank them for their organisational skills.

• If a friend always checks in on you, let them know how much their support means to you.

Wisdom Whisperer

Why this whisper? Because the deepest contributions, care, emotional labor, cultural holding, often live outside of metrics. This whisper reminds us that systems should not define value by visibility alone. When we recognise what truly counts, we start to build a more human, equitable economy.

Remember: Let’s widen the lens. Let’s make the invisible visible and worthy.