Fighting Toxic Positivity

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

It might seem like a workplace filled with smiling faces is the best kind of workplace, but a lack of emotional diversity is often a sign of a dysfunctional one.

When people don't feel they have permission and space to share "negative" feelings, they resort to surface acting acceptable ones.

This leads to toxic positivity. Not only are people forced into exhausting emotional labour that can lead to disengagement and burnout, but the organization losses valuable information that could be used to build a better workplace.

For example, many workplaces have experienced layoffs over the last few years. These will have left many employees feeling sad over the loss of co-workers and friends, and afraid for their own positions. When leaders acknowledge these emotions they can provide people with opportunities to grieve and honour their past co-workers, and have open discussions about the future. This can go a long way to increasing trust and engagement.

Frustration over unnecessarily complicated processes, anger over a micromanaging leader, jealousy over the preferential treatment of another team may seem messy and uncomfortable to deal with - better people kept those feelings to themselves - but they are the pathway to a better culture. Processes can be fixed, leaders can be trained, fair treatment can be assessed and discussed.

A good workplace is not one absent of negative emotions. It's one that welcomes them as opportunities to listen, change, and help employees (and the company) thrive.

Here are a few ways to start encouraging a diversity of emotions in your workplace:

Normalize Emotional Expression: Encourage open communication about emotions by normalizing discussions surrounding both positive and challenging feelings. Demonstrate vulnerability and authenticity as a leader by sharing personal experiences related to emotions.

Create Safe Spaces for Expression: Establish safe spaces, such as regular team check-ins or dedicated forums, where employees feel comfortable expressing their emotions without judgment.

Acknowledge and Celebrate Differences: Recognize that individuals have unique emotional responses to situations based on their personal experiences, backgrounds, and personalities. Celebrate the diversity of emotions as a strength that contributes to a richer and more dynamic work environment.

Encourage Self-Reflection: Promote self-reflection by encouraging employees to identify and understand their own emotions. Provide resources that support individual emotional awareness and growth.

Lead by Example: Model a healthy approach to emotions by being authentic about your own feelings and demonstrating empathy towards others. Showcase that it's acceptable to experience and express a variety of emotions in the workplace.