You're bound to have a bad day at work once in a while, even if you love your job.
Sometimes, you might even get to thinking that your organization doesn't appreciate you enough.
But you shouldn't be feeling that way constantly. That's a pretty big red flag.
So, how can you be sure that your employer couldn't care less? There are some telltale indications that you should be on the lookout for.
Here are 21 signs your employer doesn't really care about you:
1. Your boss doesn't offer any support, guidance, or feedback
If your boss doesn't take the time to offer any feedback, guidance, or support you as you work toward achieving your goals, it can be seriously detrimental to your career, says Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage."
Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert, leadership coach, and author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job" says if your boss seems primarily concerned with the tactical aspects of your job and project completion - and less so with whether you're advancing your skills or being challenged by your work - they probably don't care about your success.
Yes, he or she may just be a bad boss, but if you see that they do positive things with your coworkers, but not you, it's a bad sign.
2. You're not compensated fairly
This is one of the most tangible signs, says Taylor:
An employer that's not concerned about what you can offer won't compensate you properly or fairly. Even if you request a performance evaluation, you may be told it's not necessary, or just ask any questions you may have. The suggestion may even arise that you take a pay cut.
Monetary signs like this can be blatant red flags that you should start job searching, or you can hurt your long-term career advancement, not to mention experience much distress, she says.
3. You're passed over for a promotion you deserve
This is another blatant sign. You're doing excellent work - work that is superior to your colleagues' - and yet someone less deserving gets a promotion you were in line for.
4. They never ask you for input or ideas
If your boss or employer doesn't care about your ideas or opinions, they probably don't care much about you, says Kerr.
5. Your calls for help or resources are ignored
A company that doesn't care about your well-being will largely ignore your requests for assistance or tools you need to deliver the best results, Taylor says: "Or they may just make it difficult by making false promises, or dragging out the process to truly address your needs."
6. There's a lack of inherent trust
"For example, if your boss is more concerned about getting a doctor's note to justify your absence from work rather than asking about your health and what they can do for you, this obviously reveals concern for you only as a commodity," Kerr says.
7. Plum projects no longer come your way
You may suddenly lose a project you were handling, or you may no longer get those that relate directly to your expertise, says Taylor. These are never good signs.
8. Your boss bullies you
"When they use bullying tactics or give you ultimatums, you may have a problem on your hands," says Kerr. "Any threatening or intimidation style of behavior that is dismissive of your emotions and reactions means they really don't care about you as a human being."
9. You rarely find out about project outcomes
"One red flag is that you will contribute to a project, but after it's completed, you don't know what the results were," Taylor says. "You may be fortunate enough to hear it through the grapevine, but you feel as if you are not part of a larger picture."
10. They don't include you in any decisions
It's an especially bad sign when your boss is making decisions regarding your career or workload without first consulting you, Kerr says.
11. You get important company news after everyone else
If you feel that you're the last person to hear about major company developments, you can easily feel that you don't count.
"You may hear things secondhand or by happenstance," says Taylor. "It can kill your morale when the event directly applies to your projects."
12. Your boss isn't interested in your personal life -at all
Some managers try to keep work relationships very professional and avoid talking or asking about your personal life - but if you notice your boss asks your colleagues about their weekends, kids, or new puppies but not yours, then this is a bad sign, says Kerr.
13. You hear only from your boss when you screw up
Here's a big sign: You never hear praise from your boss when you do things well - which is 99% of the time. But if you make just the smallest error, you get an email or invited into their office.
"This is a key sign that they may be taking you for granted and only concerned about your work production," Kerr says.
14. Nobody wants to accept your help
Taylor says:
"When you first sense these signs, your immediate reaction may be to contribute more and perform better - but even that may be met with resistance. Your boss seems to be circumventing you with no apparent cause. Unfortunately, when there is no explanation, the cause can be due to posturing or a land grab by managers who are rising stars, who want to see their own team members advance. Without the support of your manager, it's hard to swim upstream."
It's best to take action through direct communication, while you seek greener pastures, she advises.
15. Your boss turns down your requests for a more flexible schedule or better work-life balance
"If they consistently demonstrate a lack of concern over how working overtime might be affecting your family life, or immediately dismiss requests to switch schedules in order to attend an important family function, this can be a huge sign that they really don't care about your personal well-being," Kerr warns.
16. It's hard to know where you stand
Taylor warns:
"At companies that are political or more concerned with the bottom line, you will languish in a state of the unknown. You can't get prompt answers. Employers may either be complacent, expecting your long-term loyalty, or they may be on the fence as to whether to keep you on the team. The circumstances may be related to cost savings, politics, market trends, or other factors."
Still, she says, the result can be maddening: "Studies continue to show employees would rather know they're under-performing than remain in the dark."
17. They make demands of you during holidays or your time off
Does your boss not respect your weekends, vacations, or holidays? Requesting that you stay in constant touch or finish a project without any concern for how it might affect your time off is a bad sign that they don't care about you, says Kerr.
18. They blatantly tell you they don't care about you
"There are still old-school managers out there who will constantly remind their employees outright that they can be easily replaced or that other people would kill to have their job," Kerr says. "Any comments such as these that treat you only as a commodity reflect a lack of genuine interest in your personal well-being."
19. They don't fight to keep you
The final sign is this: When you tell your boss that you've been offered a job elsewhere, or that you're exploring other opportunities, they don't fight to keep you.
20. They lie to you
Consistently untrustworthy behavior is definitely not a sign of respect. If your supervisors are constantly lying, odds are they don't care enough about you or your coworkers to just be honest. That's a bad sign for you - and an indication that there's a larger problem with management.
21. You really aren't trying that hard
Be honest with yourself. Is the problem really the organization you're working for?
If you're a terrible employee, chances are that you're probably not very appreciated. On the bright side, that can change - and you can be the one to change it.