Transparency in the workplace is essential for cultivating trust, enhancing communication and driving employee engagement. When organizations prioritize openness about their goals, decisions and challenges, they create an environment where workers feel valued and informed.
Transparency can not only boost morale, but also encourage collaboration and innovation, as team members are more likely to share ideas and feedback when they are informed about the overall big picture.
However, it appears that the honesty employees seek is lacking in the workplace, with only 15% of workers feeling that their organization consistently communicates the challenges it faces, according to recent data from a Leadership IQ poll.
The most honest cultures are those willing to listen to feedback on how they can improve. Unfortunately, only 24% of respondents reported that their leader always encourages and acknowledges suggestions for improvement, while 16% said that their leader never does this.
The study uncovers a troubling trend, indicating that the majority of employers are minimizing critical issues or outright neglecting to tackle workplace challenges and difficulties—a harmful and detrimental behavior referred to as “glossing.”
Glossing Over Problems
“Glossing” is a form of toxic positivity that trickles down from leadership to the workforce. This phenomenon occurs when managers, in an attempt to maintain a positive atmosphere, downplay or ignore significant challenges rather than addressing them head-on.
“Toxic positivity is an excessive and distorted form of positive thinking,” clinical psychologist Dr. Andrea Burgio-Murphy stated in the report. “It’s putting a positive spin on all experiences, no matter how dire or tragic. For example, you could be experiencing toxic positivity when a friend or boss minimizes or refuses to acknowledge your negative feelings or critical feedback. Or perhaps they go further and try to spin your dire situation in a positive way, like ‘this is a blessing in disguise’ or ‘all things happen for a reason.'”
While bosses might believe they are alleviating anxieties and preserving workplace culture by projecting an image of “everything is fine,” this approach often backfires. Instead of fostering a truly positive environment, it creates a disconnect between leadership and employees, leaving workers feeling unseen and ignored. This misguided strategy ultimately undermines trust, stifles open communication and can lead to a deterioration of workplace morale and productivity.
By glossing over real issues and emotions, organizations risk creating an environment where psychological safety is compromised. This can lead to decreased innovation, as employees become less willing to take risks or voice concerns. Moreover, the constant suppression of authentic feelings can result in increased stress, anxiety and burnout among workers.
How Managers Can Make Meaningful Changes
It’s mission-critical for organizations to foster a culture that acknowledges and addresses challenges openly, allowing for honest dialogue and emotional authenticity.
By creating space for both positive and negative experiences, companies can build stronger, more resilient teams that are better equipped to navigate the complex realities of today’s workplace and broader societal landscape.
Managers can effectively balance positivity with the acknowledgment of real issues by adopting a multifaceted approach. First, they must recognize and validate emotions, recognizing that all feelings are valid and part of the human experience.
This can be achieved by expressing empathy by stating, “I understand this is frustrating.” Being upfront about the challenges the team or company is facing builds trust among employees. After acknowledging issues, managers can shift the focus to constructive problem-solving by asking, “What can we do to improve this situation?” This engages employees in finding solutions.
Creating an environment that encourages open communication allows employees to share concerns or criticisms without fear of repercussions. Managers should set realistic expectations, avoiding toxic positivity by admitting when things are difficult while still maintaining an overall optimistic outlook. Highlighting progress and wins—no matter how small—provides motivation and reinforces a positive culture.
Additionally, modeling resilience by demonstrating how to persevere through setbacks with a growth mindset helps frame obstacles as opportunities for learning.
Providing support through resources or mentoring allows workers to navigate difficulties rather than simply being told to “stay positive.” Moreover, prioritizing employee well-being by encouraging self-care and work-life balance contributes to a healthier work environment.
By striking this balance between maintaining a positive culture and addressing real issues head-on, managers can foster trust, resilience and engagement within their teams, which in turn, benefit the organization. The Leadership IQ survey revealed that employees who feel their company is transparent about its challenges are nearly 10 times more likely to endorse it as an excellent employer.
Source: Forbes
