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As a therapist and supervisor, I've observed how people-pleasing behaviours can quietly infiltrate workplace dynamics, leading to burnout, reduced productivity, and strained team relationships. While the desire to accommodate others stems from good intentions, it often carries hidden costs that can really undermine both personal well-being and organisational health.
People-pleasing involves prioritising others' needs over one's own, often to gain approval or avoid conflict. In the workplace, this can manifest as:
Taking on Too Much: Accepting more tasks than one can handle, leading to overwhelming workloads.
Struggling to Say "No": Agreeing to requests despite existing pressures, resulting in overextension.
Avoiding Disagreements: Withholding feedback or personal opinions to maintain harmony.
Working Excessively Long Hours: Putting in extra time to maintain the image of the "ideal" employee, often at the expense of personal health and well-being.
While these behaviours might smooth interactions temporarily, they can have harmful long-term effects.
The Hidden Costs
Burnout and Lower Productivity
Consistently putting others first can lead to physical and emotional exhaustion. The constant effort to please, combined with long hours to uphold an ideal image, can drain personal resources, leading to burnout. This not only affects the individual but also lowers team productivity, as work quality may decline and absenteeism may rise.
Resentment and Team Splits
Suppressing personal needs can breed feelings of resentment. Over time, this may manifest as passive-aggressive behaviour, eroding trust and causing divisions within teams. The initial aim to create unity through people-pleasing can ironically lead to discord and fragmentation.
Steps to Healthier Dynamics
Addressing people-pleasing tendencies requires a compassionate, conscious and supportive approach:
Encourage Self-Awareness
Individuals should reflect on their motivations for people-pleasing and recognise its impact on their well-being and professional relationships. Self-awareness is the first step toward meaningful change.
Train Managers to Promote Assertiveness and Boundaries
Equipping managers with the skills to encourage assertiveness and healthy boundary-setting among team members is crucial. Training programs can help managers:
Recognise People-Pleasing Behaviours: Identifying signs of overcommitment and reluctance to voice opinions.
Encourage Open Communication: Creating a safe environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their needs and concerns.
Model Assertive Behaviour: Demonstrating balanced assertiveness and boundary-setting in their own roles.
By creating a culture that values assertiveness and respects personal limits, organisations can enhance employee well-being and productivity.
Model Healthy Boundaries
Leaders play a crucial role by demonstrating their own boundaries and encouraging others to do the same. This sets an example that prioritising one's well-being is both acceptable and necessary.
Cultivate an Open Feedback Culture
Creating an environment where honest communication is valued can help reduce the fear of conflict that often leads to people-pleasing behaviours. Regular feedback sessions can normalise sharing different viewpoints.
Understanding the hidden costs of people-pleasing in the workplace is key to nurturing a supportive and productive environment. By addressing these behaviours with empathy and implementing strategies to promote assertiveness and open communication, organisations can transform these challenges into opportunities for growth and unity.
As we navigate these complexities, it's important to remember that building a culture of mutual respect and understanding benefits everyone, leading to a more harmonious and effective workplace.
If you're ready to address the hidden costs of people-pleasing in your workplace and cultivate a healthier, more productive environment, I invite you to reach out. With my experience in supporting individuals and teams, I can help you implement strategies to promote assertiveness and set healthy boundaries.
Contact Me Today
Let's discuss how we can work together to create a more balanced and mentally healthy workplace.
Book a free discovery call - https://calendly.com/vivashrebecca/30min
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