The question, “Hey, how are you?” often gets asked as a reflex at work. And the typical answer, “I’m fine, you?” has also become the standard response. We ask, we answer — and then we go about our day. And when that happens, we miss the opportunity to create an environment where people can bring their whole, authentic selves to work — including the bad, the mad, and the sad.
Be a Colleague That Others Can Confide In
How to get beyond “I’m fine.”
April 01, 2020
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Summary.
Research shows that when employees feel higher levels of authenticity at work, they report greater job satisfaction, engagement, and higher levels of performance. But sometimes, our knee-jerk reflex at work is to tell people we’re fine, even when we’re not. As a co-worker, how can you support people who may not be feeling fine, but who don’t feel like they can open up at work? Taking the time to ask someone how they are more than once — especially if you have an inkling that they might not be doing as well as they say they are — can make a difference. It can be as simple as, “I know you said you’re fine when I asked how you were this morning, but I felt like maybe something was off, and I just wanted to ask again. How are you really doing today?” And then follow their lead for how much (or how little) they might want to share.