An all smiles and rainbows approach to internal communications can have unintended consequences when not used properly. Toxic positivity can deteriorate the goodwill and trust built within an organization.
Toxic positivity isn’t a new phenomenon. The term has been kicked around by psychologists for over 20 years to reference an overly positive disposition to a negative situation, often to the detriment of the individual. In the world of internal communications, the employers are typically guilty of excessive positivity in the face of an unpleasant reality.
Take for example the removal or shrinking of certain employee benefits. An overly bright message or tone would actually serve to insult employees. Instead, an admission of the change being difficult and the reasoning behind it would build trust and a culture of transparency. People can understand the truth, even if they don’t like it.
Toxic positivity, on the other hand, can destroy the trust we work so hard to build. As communicators, when our tone is appropriate to the situation – be it happy or sad – we’re telling the truth of what it’s like to be alive. Ignoring this unspoken rule of storytelling will only erode the relationship between employer and employee.
Too much of a good thing
In general, positivity is a good thing. As internal communicators, we want our messages to the workforce to be associated with good news and good vibes, thus the instinct to use a positive tone when we communicate, even if an initiative might not be well received.
The irony of toxic positivity is that in constantly approaching every communication with a smile, we create a narrative that doesn’t reflect real life. This can make people feel shameful or less than if not meeting us with the same attitude.
Toxic positivity also deteriorates trust between an organization and its employees. Authentic communication shows people that you’re a congruent entity – that you make sense. A bad thing happens and your response matches reality. Meeting a situation with disingenuous positivity doesn’t pull the wool over anyone’s eyes, it only creates distrust.
The impact of toxic positivity on mental health
In instances of sensitive, hard-to-communicate issues, such as burnout, a life crisis or personal financial struggles, toxic positivity can invalidate real and normal feelings that one could have. Some equate it to gaslighting, which is when someone causes you to question your own reality. This can make people disassociate negative feelings, rationalize their negative experiences and even gaslight their peers in turn.
Toxic positivity is also bad for employee wellbeing. Studies show that individuals who suppress their negative emotions operate at a higher level of stress1. The longer these emotions are suppressed over time, the greater the negative impact.
Strategies for honest, healthy communication
Earlier, we said that employees could understand the truth, even if they don’t like it. It’s because the truth is empowering. You know what you’re working with. Toxic positivity is really a form of dishonesty – even if you have your facts right, it’s your sentiment that doesn’t match. This obscures the truth from your people.
Here are some ways to practice healthy and transparent internal communication:
- When communicating a difficult message, acknowledge reality
- Help them understand the “why” and empower them with information, if applicable
- Provide a way forward – what happens next
The healthy, honest approach is to make the people you’re trying to reach feel seen: “It’s okay to not be okay.” From there, we share our “why” (because we care about you), and the resources that can help them.
As a rule, remember that you’re speaking to people much like yourself: intelligent, sensitive, and capable of understanding. If you remember to weave empathy and a human touch into your communication, you’re unlikely to ever become positively toxic.
See how our internal communications consultants can help you today, and contact us to discuss the tangible differences we could make to your organization.
Source
1“Campbell-Sills, Laura et al. “Effects of suppression and acceptance on emotional responses of individuals with anxiety and mood disorders”, Pub Med-National Library of Medicine, 21 Nov 2005.
