CNBC reports: “A toxic workplace culture was one of the biggest culprits behind the Great Resignation — which saw droves of workers leaving their jobs or switching careers during the post-pandemic era.
But since then, some companies are moving to the other extreme of “a culture of niceness,” and that could be just as damaging as toxicity, said one social psychologist.
“There has been a huge push around well-being and niceness at work, being kind, empathic and being caring — which are obviously good traits to have,” Tessa West, who is also a psychology professor at NYU, told CNBC Make It.
“But what ends up happening is, we’ve somehow pitted niceness against clear communication and confrontation, even when it’s necessary.”
Most would agree that a workplace is toxic when it is disrespectful, non-inclusive, unethical, cutthroat or abusive. The opposite of toxicity however, isn’t rainbows and sunshine — but a safe space for critical feedback and conversations, said West.
… if your manager is used to giving friendly overtures, any critical feedback that they receive from the C-suite is going to “feel like an avalanche of negativity.”
“Because these middle managers are not used to it at all, and they don’t know how to swallow it, it’s going to reduce their psychological certainty at work, it’s going to freak them out,” West said.
“They micromanage, they bulldoze, they do all that crap that we know is actually bad behavior at work. They’re going to be the worst case versions of themselves.”
CompanyRounds is a healthy way to develop a culture of compassion at work. CompanyRounds combines the support of a group with the healing power of empathy and compassion.
The experience of CompanyRounds helps develop trust with one’s co-workers, and gives employers a tool to build a culture of compassion. This is more important than ever, now that working from home has limited social interactions between team members.
Skilled facilitators make CompanyRounds a safe space. Where individual counseling provides one-on-one support, CompanyRounds gives employees the confidence-building experience of:
- compassionate interactions with peers
- being supported by individuals like themselves
- connection–getting that we are not alone in our feelings and experiences