Combat toxic positivity in the workplace

Published: Mar. 29, 2023 at 3:23 PM EDT|Updated: Mar. 29, 2023 at 3:24 PM EDT
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ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Do you find yourself in a work environment where the culture feels toxic? Maybe it’s a place where workers feel like they have to be overly happy all the time, and cannot be authentic.

That could be toxic positivity.

Hapi is an app that offers businesses and workers a space to connect anonymously with listeners. These listeners go through Atlantic Listening Academy to be trained. They are not licensed counselors.

CEO Adi Segal says listening is a skill from which everyone can benefit.

“Everyone can be a better listener by simply one, breathing before any interaction, and then to having the mindset of listening to understand. If you listen to understand, instead of listen to respond, you will get a lot out of the conversation, a lot more out of it. And the person in conversation will also get a lot more out of it,” he said.

Segal says a lot of people interrupt when someone is speaking and that can be distracting, and not advance the conversation.

For those facing toxic positivity at work, Segal recommends finding your allies. “If you think that the entire culture of the place is just to be happy all the time, maybe it’s a colleague on the same level or management level, as you have a conversation with them, maybe create a more welcoming environment, like you go out to a meal and say, hey, can we be real about this? Can we talk about life? Do we always have to just be hunky dory all the time, and and see how that lands,” he said.

Segal says most of the time, if you’re able to open up, the other person will feel safe to do so as well. Then, he says those conversations about the work culture can move up to management.