A toxic workplace culture was the primary catalyst behind the Great Resignation, prompting workers to leave their jobs or switch careers during the post-pandemic era. However, since then, some companies have shifted to the opposite extreme of a culture of niceness, a shift that, according to one social psychologist, could be just as detrimental as toxicity.
A Culture of Niceness
Tessa West, a psychology professor at NYU, explained to CNBC Make It that excessive kindness, empathy, and caring can lead to a scenario where niceness precedes essential elements like clear communication and necessary confrontation.
Most agree that a toxic workplace is characterized by disrespect, non-inclusivity, unethical behavior, cutthroat attitudes, or abuse. However, the antidote to toxicity is not just rainbows and sunshine but rather a safe environment conducive to critical feedback and open conversations.
Knowing how to receive and give honest feedback is an essential ingredient for career development. Yet, a false dichotomy exists where being critical is equated with being toxic, and positive feedback is seen as favorable.
The Tell-Tale Signs
According to West, a prominent indicator of a too nice workplace is the prevalence of overly friendly gestures, which often lack specificity and fail to convey meaningful feedback or insight.
This tendency can also lead to mediocrity, a concept highlighted by bestselling author and Wharton psychologist Adam Grant as one of the four deadly sins of work. According to Grant, mediocrity occurs when individuals prioritize relationships over achieving results, as he explained in a podcast.
According to Grant, accountability tends to be lacking in a culture of niceness. Individuals tend to worry about getting along so much that it compromises good work. In a culture of mediocrity, individuals can still get ahead if they are well-liked by others.
West added that passive aggressiveness can become prevalent in a culture overly focused on niceness, where negative intentions are masked behind smiles. If managers are accustomed to receiving only friendly gestures, any critical feedback from senior leadership can seem overwhelming and excessively negative. This situation may prompt behaviors like micromanagement or overly assertive actions that exhibit the most extreme versions of themselves.
Start with Small Asks
Ultimately, a culture centered on niceness generates uncertainty because no individual or workplace is as positive as it might outwardly appear.
Ironically, the most significant threat to psychological safety is a culture of niceness, where true thoughts and feelings remain hidden. West parallels toxic positivity, which insists on maintaining a positive outlook at all times, even in challenging circumstances.
A workplace that is excessively focused on niceness not only undermines psychological safety but also poses risks to career development. Without critical feedback, individuals cannot improve their job performance or enhance their management skills.
According to West, critical feedback focuses on discussing the specific method rather than simply criticizing the outcome. It aims to initiate a constructive dialogue about how improvements can be made moving forward. To move away from a culture overly focused on niceness, individuals can begin by seeking honest and constructive feedback.
West recommended beginning with small asks that gradually progress to more critical feedback as comfort and trust in the feedback process develop.
