In the late 1980s, pioneering sociologist Arlene Kaplan Daniels coined the concept of “invisible work.” This concept focused primarily on the unpaid labor and “emotional work” performed by women in the “private world” of the home. Daniels highlighted how society often overlooked and undervalued women's contributions to “homemaking.”

As researchers in organizational behavior, leadership, and psychological motivation, we have studied workplace dynamics in organizations from Under Armour to Ikea, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Tampa Bay Lightning professional ice hockey team. Our research has allowed us to delve into a new manifestation of invisible work in the 21st century. This expanded concept goes beyond gender-specific roles and encompasses a broader range of invisible work performed in both personal and professional contexts, and we chronicle our findings in a book, Our (In)visible Work, to be published in late August.

In the modern era, invisible work has evolved beyond household chores, caregiving, and “life admin,” the office-type work it takes to run a home. It now includes emotional labor, organizational tasks, mentoring, and other behind-the-scenes efforts that contribute to the smooth functioning of individuals, families, and organizations. These efforts can range from planning birthday celebrations for office colleagues to cleaning up communal office kitchens and taking notes at meetings.

The psychological toll of invisible work can be profound and devastating, underscoring the importance of recognizing and valuing the contributions of those who do invisible work.

While a new concept four decades ago, the idea of “invisible work” now earns close scrutiny in popular culture, the media, and research. Last year, TIME magazine recognized the need to correct this inequality with an article headlined, “How to End the Unfairness of Invisible Work.” A thread on the Reddit platform explored “the ‘invisible work’ done by Dads.” A University of Wisconsin sociologist, Allison Daminger, explored how invisible labor impacts relationships. There are now even hashtag campaigns recognizing #InvisibleWork and #InvisibleLabor.

In the 21st century, invisible work includes critical but underappreciated tasks—mitigating conflicts, providing cultural translations,........

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