Tips to tackle pleasanteeism

What is pleasanteeism?

Pleasanteeism is a term used to translate the pressure, stress, and anxiety that employees may feel in their workplace. It presents a wellbeing concern for organisations that should address it. Pleasanteeism is when employees put on a happy face despite their emotional challenges. It can go unseen and may cause long term impacts on the organisation, including employee retention issues or unhealthy workplace culture.

The spread of pleasanteeism in today’s workplace

Today’s businesses are more aware of mental health and its benefits in the workplace. Pleasanteeism is a relatively new issue, made worse by the pandemic. Lockdowns and social distancing measures have led to less communication between employees. They are less likely to open up about their workload, challenges with colleagues, and much more. This reluctance to share how they feel can create a stressful environment where issues go unnoticed, impacting both productivity and morale. Fostering a culture of mental health awareness and open dialogue is key to ensuring a supportive, stress-free environment.

The long-term impacts of unaddressed pleasanteeism

Pleasanteeism has an impact on employees and on the organisation as well. Under the phenomena, employees do not feel safe at work and in the long term see their mental health affected. Their self-esteem might decrease or they may experience anxiety and depression. For organisations, pleasanteeism means that their employees are likely overworked and do not feel safe to express it. As a result, employees’ engagement might reduce thus impacting productivity. Additionally, the business’ reputation might be damaged through higher turnover rates and grievances procedures.

How to spot pleasanteeism in your organisation

Understanding if pleasanteeism is prevalent in your business may be a challenge. This is because getting a clear insight into how people are truly feeling is not straightforward in the workplace. Here are some signs that leaders and HR teams should look out for:

Look at your presenteeism rate

If your absence rate is low, this might mean that employees come to work despite poor physical or mental health. This excessive presenteeism may be connected to pleasanteeism as employees might find it difficult to express when they are overworked or might find it hard to say no.

Identify if employees are providing generic feedback

When collecting employees’ feedback, pay attention to the type of answer they provide. Generic responses, such as ‘I am doing great,’ are often unconvincing and not genuine.

Spot employees who struggle to say ‘no’

Some individuals struggle to say ‘no.’ Team members who never refuse to take on a task despite being overwhelmed with their work might be at risk of pleasanteeism.

Watch out for overtime and burnout

Those who spend a lot of time at work regularly might be at risk of burnout and might be subject to pleasanteeism as well. Their workload or process to complete tasks should be reviewed with their manager.

Be aware of employees who don’t speak up

Employees who struggle should feel comfortable asking for help. Those who do not speak up, share their challenge with their colleagues or managers are at risk of pleasanteeism.

Tips on how to tackle pleasanteeism

Pleasanteeism should be addressed by organisations facing it. Creating a more supportive workplace helps build healthier habits and encourages open communication. Not addressing pleasanteeism may have long-term consequence on both the business and its employees. Mental health and wellbeing of staff may be affected. Productivity may also be a challenge. Here are some tips for businesses on how to address pleasanteeism, promote a healthier work environment and build a healthy resilience of their workforce.

Gauge employees’ morale

Ask employees for feedback and keep an eye on absence reports. Also consider a wellbeing audit to gauge employees’ morale. The objective of the staff wellbeing audit should be to identify any pain points in employees’ wellbeing. Planning team activities that are not related to work might help build trust and encourage conversations. To do so, implement office events such as family days or Christmas dinners. Also ensure that leaders are honest and open about their own challenges to normalise talking about mental health.

Implement mental health training

Having a mental health programme is integral to a strong employee wellbeing strategy. Make sure you have a training plan with line manager training, wellbeing champions and a MHFA (mental health first aid). Having a mental health awareness policy opens the door for a workplace culture that tackles pleasanteeism.

Offer flexibility

Flexibility is highly valued by employees. Providing space for hybrid and remote work when possible is a good way to encourage employees to manage their stress. Employees may feel appreciated if they are given the freedom to adjust their schedule.

Ensure downtime to increase wellbeing

Leaders should remind their teams to take breaks and to look after themselves. Even just a short walk at lunch might make the difference. Give them a ‘free hour’ with no meetings and set clear limits on after-hours emails. Simple changes like these can boost resilience and make work a healthier, happier place.

Promote open communication

Open dialogue is the cornerstone to tackle pleasanteeism. Organisations should create a space for employees to open up about their mental health without any fear of judgement. Managers can be trained to encourage these conversations, to recognise signs of stress and burnout and to support their teams.

Foster a supportive culture

Wellbeing initiatives will inherently contribute to addressing pleasanteeism. Wellbeing initiatives help destigmatise taking time off and taking breaks during working hours.

Addressing pleasanteeism is key to keeping employees happy, healthy, and motivated. A supportive and healthy workplace, especially after lockdown, helps people feel safe to be honest. A healthier work culture, free of pleasanteeism, builds resilience and benefits both employees and the business.

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