diff --git a/app/components/projects/table_component.html.erb b/app/components/projects/table_component.html.erb
index 6a1acbe642ab..a697d0ca23ab 100644
--- a/app/components/projects/table_component.html.erb
+++ b/app/components/projects/table_component.html.erb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
         <table class="generic-table" data-controller="table-highlighting" <%= table_id ? "id=\"#{table_id}\"".html_safe : '' %>>
           <colgroup>
             <% columns.each do |column| %>
-              <col>
+              <%= tag :col, data: { highlight: column.attribute != :hierarchy } %>
             <% end %>
             <col>
           </colgroup>
diff --git a/app/components/table_component.html.erb b/app/components/table_component.html.erb
index da9808b991d3..9449d5dc4894 100644
--- a/app/components/table_component.html.erb
+++ b/app/components/table_component.html.erb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
         <% headers.each do |_name, _options| %>
           <col>
         <% end %>
-        <col>
+        <col data-highlight="false">
       </colgroup>
       <thead>
         <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/attribute_help_texts/_tab.html.erb b/app/views/attribute_help_texts/_tab.html.erb
index 12f569dd415c..8b59eed73835 100644
--- a/app/views/attribute_help_texts/_tab.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/attribute_help_texts/_tab.html.erb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
           <col>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
         <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/custom_fields/_custom_options.html.erb b/app/views/custom_fields/_custom_options.html.erb
index a70d9f0942d8..f20f6934f719 100644
--- a/app/views/custom_fields/_custom_options.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/custom_fields/_custom_options.html.erb
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
         <col>
         <col>
         <col>
-        <col>
+        <col data-highlight="false">
       </colgroup>
       <thead>
       <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/custom_fields/_tab.html.erb b/app/views/custom_fields/_tab.html.erb
index 608dadc0db32..60d5ff479e11 100644
--- a/app/views/custom_fields/_tab.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/custom_fields/_tab.html.erb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
           <% end %>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
           <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/forums/index.html.erb b/app/views/forums/index.html.erb
index aa1a2dde488c..73a2c166a9a7 100644
--- a/app/views/forums/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/forums/index.html.erb
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
           <col>
           <% if User.current.allowed_in_project?(:manage_forums, @project) %>
             <col>
-            <col>
+            <col data-highlight="false">
           <% end %>
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
diff --git a/app/views/groups/_memberships.html.erb b/app/views/groups/_memberships.html.erb
index 8064048d3a4a..a7d554fff612 100644
--- a/app/views/groups/_memberships.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/groups/_memberships.html.erb
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
             <colgroup>
               <col>
               <col>
-              <col>
+              <col data-highlight="false">
             </colgroup>
             <thead>
               <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/groups/_users_table.html.erb b/app/views/groups/_users_table.html.erb
index 1b9f1e9a4bd7..3cf29cddc2c2 100644
--- a/app/views/groups/_users_table.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/groups/_users_table.html.erb
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
 
 <table class="generic-table users">
   <colgroup>
-    <col colightCol>
     <col>
+    <col data-highlight="false">
   </colgroup>
   <thead>
   <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/groups/index.html.erb b/app/views/groups/index.html.erb
index 00bb41da9c72..2634231994fc 100644
--- a/app/views/groups/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/groups/index.html.erb
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
         <colgroup>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
           <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/principals/_global_roles.html.erb b/app/views/principals/_global_roles.html.erb
index 2959891a1190..cfed1b097d01 100644
--- a/app/views/principals/_global_roles.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/principals/_global_roles.html.erb
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
         <table class="generic-table principal_roles" id="table_principal_roles" data-controller="table-highlighting">
           <colgroup>
             <col>
-            <col>
+            <col data-highlight="false">
           </colgroup>
           <thead>
             <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/projects/settings/categories/show.html.erb b/app/views/projects/settings/categories/show.html.erb
index 9edd0865de8b..8b8a000aaba6 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/settings/categories/show.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/projects/settings/categories/show.html.erb
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
         <colgroup>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
           <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/repositories/_dir_list.html.erb b/app/views/repositories/_dir_list.html.erb
index 41e8a8990fd3..89cd99600bd8 100644
--- a/app/views/repositories/_dir_list.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/repositories/_dir_list.html.erb
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
     <table class="generic-table" data-controller="table-highlighting" data-repository-navigation-target="repoBrowser">
       <colgroup>
         <col>
-        <col>
+        <col data-highlight="false">
         <col>
         <col>
         <col>
diff --git a/app/views/repositories/_revisions.html.erb b/app/views/repositories/_revisions.html.erb
index ce14ce62e69d..ed2ec6c08886 100644
--- a/app/views/repositories/_revisions.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/repositories/_revisions.html.erb
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
       <table class="generic-table changesets">
         <colgroup>
           <col>
-          <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
+          <col data-highlight="false">
           <col>
           <col>
           <col>
diff --git a/app/views/roles/index.html.erb b/app/views/roles/index.html.erb
index 9462e7a24354..2348b1f8ce5f 100644
--- a/app/views/roles/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/roles/index.html.erb
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
         <col>
         <col>
         <col>
-        <col>
+        <col data-highlight="false">
       </colgroup>
       <thead>
         <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/types/index.html.erb b/app/views/types/index.html.erb
index 4b037c989988..7794772696fe 100644
--- a/app/views/types/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/types/index.html.erb
@@ -57,13 +57,13 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
       <table class="generic-table" data-controller="table-highlighting">
         <colgroup>
           <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
           <col>
           <col>
           <col>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
           <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/wiki/history.html.erb b/app/views/wiki/history.html.erb
index 0034b8120c75..41994db6b0c7 100644
--- a/app/views/wiki/history.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/wiki/history.html.erb
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
       <table class="generic-table wiki-page-versions">
         <colgroup>
           <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
+          <col data-highlight="false">
           <col>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
-          <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <caption class="hidden-for-sighted">
           <span>
diff --git a/app/views/workflows/show.html.erb b/app/views/workflows/show.html.erb
index e46e59a272b3..132c765088fb 100644
--- a/app/views/workflows/show.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/workflows/show.html.erb
@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
       <div class="generic-table--results-container">
         <table class="generic-table" data-controller="table-highlighting">
           <colgroup>
+            <col data-highlight="false">
             <col>
             <col>
             <col>
             <col>
             <col>
-            <col>
-            <col>
+            <col data-highlight="false">
           </colgroup>
           <thead>
             <tr>
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/features/work-packages/components/wp-table/wp-table.component.html b/frontend/src/app/features/work-packages/components/wp-table/wp-table.component.html
index 9c75b9720555..93a506c9b6bd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/features/work-packages/components/wp-table/wp-table.component.html
+++ b/frontend/src/app/features/work-packages/components/wp-table/wp-table.component.html
@@ -2,15 +2,16 @@
   <div class="work-packages-tabletimeline--table-side work-package-table--container __hidden_overflow_container">
     <table
       class="keyboard-accessible-list generic-table work-package-table"
+      data-controller="table-highlighting"
       [class.op-table-baseline]="baselineEnabled"
     >
       <colgroup>
-        <col *ngIf="configuration.dragAndDropEnabled">
-        <col *ngIf="baselineEnabled">
+        <col data-highlight="false" *ngIf="configuration.dragAndDropEnabled">
+        <col data-highlight="false" *ngIf="baselineEnabled">
         <!-- Generate col elements dynamically(!) for each requested column plus one for the action menu's column. -->
         <col *ngFor="let column of [].constructor(columns.length)">
         <col *ngIf="configuration.columnMenuEnabled">
-        <col *ngIf="!configuration.columnMenuEnabled">
+        <col data-highlight="false" *ngIf="!configuration.columnMenuEnabled">
       </colgroup>
       <caption class="hidden-for-sighted">
         <span>{{text.tableSummary}}</span>
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/shared/components/grids/widgets/time-entries/list/time-entries-list.component.html b/frontend/src/app/shared/components/grids/widgets/time-entries/list/time-entries-list.component.html
index cf5b7f6f8d95..e4c53d0f0560 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/shared/components/grids/widgets/time-entries/list/time-entries-list.component.html
+++ b/frontend/src/app/shared/components/grids/widgets/time-entries/list/time-entries-list.component.html
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
         <col>
         <col>
         <col>
-        <col>
+        <col data-highlight="false">
       </colgroup>
       <thead class="-sticky">
         <tr>
diff --git a/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/table-highlighting.controller.ts b/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/table-highlighting.controller.ts
index 365dd3cbd407..4702a8aa0caf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/table-highlighting.controller.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/table-highlighting.controller.ts
@@ -70,11 +70,16 @@ export default class TableHighlightingController extends ApplicationController {
     const th = target.closest('th') as HTMLElement;
     const index = this.parentIndex(th);
 
-    if (index !== null) {
-      return this.colgroup.children.item(index) as HTMLElement|null;
+    if (index === null) {
+      return null;
     }
+    const col = this.colgroup.children.item(index) as HTMLElement|null;
 
-    return null;
+    if (!col || col.dataset.highlight === 'false') {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    return col;
   }
 
   private parentIndex(element:HTMLElement):number|null {
diff --git a/modules/budgets/app/views/budgets/subform/_material_budget_subform.html.erb b/modules/budgets/app/views/budgets/subform/_material_budget_subform.html.erb
index d486662fcb06..5ddca76cbceb 100644
--- a/modules/budgets/app/views/budgets/subform/_material_budget_subform.html.erb
+++ b/modules/budgets/app/views/budgets/subform/_material_budget_subform.html.erb
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
               <% if User.current.allowed_in_project?(:view_cost_rates, @project)%>
                 <col>
               <%end%>
-              <col>
+              <col data-highlight="false">
             </colgroup>
           <thead>
             <tr>
diff --git a/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/_list.html.erb b/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/_list.html.erb
index 3daee22e2635..0e721aa73901 100644
--- a/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/_list.html.erb
+++ b/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/_list.html.erb
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
           <col>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
           <tr>
diff --git a/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/_list_deleted.html.erb b/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/_list_deleted.html.erb
index a619cd78251d..7b618f936772 100644
--- a/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/_list_deleted.html.erb
+++ b/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/_list_deleted.html.erb
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
           <col>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
           <tr>
diff --git a/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/edit.html.erb b/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/edit.html.erb
index 51831734e163..c3e740488028 100644
--- a/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/edit.html.erb
+++ b/modules/costs/app/views/cost_types/edit.html.erb
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
         <colgroup>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
           <tr>
diff --git a/modules/costs/app/views/hourly_rates/edit.html.erb b/modules/costs/app/views/hourly_rates/edit.html.erb
index 9ebeb2d903f7..fc67aa38ef3b 100644
--- a/modules/costs/app/views/hourly_rates/edit.html.erb
+++ b/modules/costs/app/views/hourly_rates/edit.html.erb
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ See COPYRIGHT and LICENSE files for more details.
         <colgroup>
           <col>
           <col>
-          <col>
+          <col data-highlight="false">
         </colgroup>
         <thead>
           <tr>