The CIPD reported in 2019 that only a quarter of employees can freely express themselves at work, particularly in the public sector.
But, since then other events have increased global conflict and polarisation; new ways of working, a cost-of-living crisis, the DEI backlash, exponential AI growth, to name a few.
Consequently there are two camps: a small number who feel they can speak their truth (sometimes without thinking of the consequences), and many others who are afraid to express opinions.
Diverse opinions are key to success
But clear communications and diverse opinions are key for workplace success. What does it mean for them? For sharing ideas with respect? If three in ten don’t feel comfortable taking risks and sharing thoughts with others in the organisation, are differing thoughts, ideas and opinions genuinely no longer valued?
Why is the problem worse at the moment?
There is an increased social threat and fear of having to choose between peer acceptance and our own moral boundaries; these lines continue to become blurred through social media.
Not caring about consequences
It is well documented, and many of us have experienced, that sharing opinions (especially online) without caring about consequences means people feel they have the right and the space to say anything.
Worse still, those with platforms speak up, worryingly influencing those who don’t fact-check or are afraid to think otherwise. Group psychology means a herd effect, and we are more likely to follow vociferous people. We may even alter our values and morals to conform.
Many of us have become too frightened to speak up for fear of a negative reaction, no reaction or support. It’s even harder in a toxic culture when we are also frightened of losing our jobs in a difficult economic climate.
The psychology of speaking up
When choosing to speak out, the brain considers two factors: how confident we are in our opinion, and how much we want to be accepted or seen as polite. We know that people with low confidence tend to adjust their answers even if they go against their moral standpoint and are more likely to follow the crowd. Individuals also conform more to certain opinions if they receive confirmation and validation from someone else.
‘Cognitive dissonance’ is the uncomfortable feeling of having two or more conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously. It means we have to change our thinking to find some sort of outcome and balance. This can be caused by a need for compliance. We end up absorbing the emotional toll of this internally, possibly leading to burnout, stress, and anxiety.
Conflict; harder to think
Conflict makes it harder to think clearly by impairing cognitive flexibility and reducing emotional regulation responses. The brain views conflict as a threat and heightens emotions, triggering instinctive responses such as fight, flight, or freeze.
But viewing a difference in opinion as conflict means we have lost the art of conversation, lost connections with one another, and cannot give feedback on what we have just heard. It is affecting our resilience which is a skill that improves problem-solving, leadership, relationships, and well-being in the workplace.
Signs that the workplace doesn’t value opinions:
• A shift in workplace dynamics where there is now a toxic environment
• An ultra-sensitive culture where workers are walking on eggshells, frightened to say anything or overly trying to do the right thing all the time
• Group-speak with few willing to challenge the status quo and speak up, disagree, or share a differing opinion
• Minorities silence themselves out of fear or isolation and worry about rejection or negative repercussions. Maybe top performers/ creatives have become silent observers
• A sense of unfairness all the time
• There is a lot of conflict and complaints that are left unresolved
The pros of sharing our thoughts and opinions:
Employee voice is crucial for organisational success, innovation, communication, problem solving, performance and employee wellbeing, engagement and autonomy.
Learning to overcome our fears and speaking up can build confidence, develop team connections, improve resilience and positively influence others to share.
Seven key ways to ensure we speak up in the workplace:
1) Create the right space: value conversation and create opportunities for it in the office and online. Cultivate an open-door culture and create feedback loops or surveys to prioritise communication.
2) Create a culture of learning from mistakes:ensure mistake are not deterrents for people from speaking up or trying again and is instead seen as an opportunity for learning and growth.
3) Find common ground: reiterate shared corporate values to build trust so employees can begin to feel safer contributing and are likely to become more involved.
4) Have visible leadership: leaders can show others how to speak up, communicate well, model transparency, be present to listen to new ideas and include others.
5) Support your line managers with skills like reading between the lines and picking up when things are left unsaid. Train them to actively listen and welcome diverse opinions.
6) Help employees become more confident to share by initiating conversations, especially with those who are suffering from imposter syndrome or those who are more introverted or neurodiverse. Level the playing field. Cognitive dissonance can be reduced by understanding that your voice is valuable, as are others. Not speaking up seems safer, but speaking up could help you, your colleagues, and the business as a whole.
7) As well as training managers, employers can also support all employees with skills to help them express themselves, especially in stressful or high pressure moments. Metacognition, for example, is being aware of one’s own thinking and can be trained so we can reframe our response to different opinions so they are not seen as a threat which prevents us from sharing ours respectfully.
About the author
Dr Lynda Shaw is a Behavioural Neuroscientist and Leadership Psychologist and Founder of Brain & Behaviour Ltd and the Consciousness Academy. She works with leaders to tackle challenges like fear, bias, and unlocking hidden potential and helps employers build more productive teams, make smarter decisions faster, and create a stronger sense of belonging among teams.
You might also like:
