The 'Show-up & Shut-up' Days are Over in the Workplace
Think about the last time a world-shattering event took place.
Where were you? Who was with you?
If you’re like most of us, you were probably at work, surrounded by coworkers.
On that day, did you want to talk about it or were you expected to show up and shut up? Did you put on a brave face and heads-down-it until 5pm when you could go home and finally express yourself?
Or, in the face of this tragedy, were you encouraged to reach out to colleagues and connect? Did you share how you were feeling and support one another? Did your leaders join you in solidarity and share their own experiences in an authentic and vulnerable way?
If your experience was more in line with the first scenario, I’d venture to bet that you have a toxic workplace culture.
Historically, conversations around social issues—race, religion, and politics—were deemed off-limits in the workplace. But, in recent years, we’ve seen a radical movement to bring these issues to the surface. Companies are no longer allowed to bury their heads in the sand. Employees want and need to be able to engage in these conversations at work because, like it or not, what happens outside the workplace impacts morale. And morale impacts your bottom line.
Toxic workplaces that expect employees to show up and shut up will lose the war for talent in today’s job market. Younger workers are demanding that the companies they work for build backboned cultures that take a stand on social issues, and they are not afraid to leave jobs that don’t put their money where their mouth is.
Organizations that prioritize building trust and facilitate open and honest conversations will fare better during challenging times. Establishing strong internal employee networks, allowing employees to express themselves, and having empathic and emotionally intelligent leaders at the helm make all the difference.
The 'show up & shut up' days are over. Are you ready?
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