What is Pleasanteeism And How Does It Impact the Mental Health Of Employees? Psychotherapist Explains

It describes the pressure employees face to appear cheerful and composed, even when dealing with stress or burnout. Picture yourself in a meeting, smiling and engaged, while struggling inside, that is what pleasanteeism is. To understand its impact on workplace mental health, we spoke with Dr. Chandni Tugnait, MD (A.M), Psychotherapist, Life Alchemist, Coach & Healer, and Founder & Director of Gateway of Healing, who shed light on this growing workplace concern.

What Is Pleasanteeism And How Is It Impacting Mental Health At Work?

Pleasanteeism, the pressure to maintain a happy and upbeat demeanour at work regardless of internal struggles, has become a growing workplace concern. This expectation forces employees to suppress genuine emotions, leading to emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and eventual burnout.

Dr Chandni Tugnait highlights that hybrid work has worsened this issue, with video calls amplifying the need to appear cheerful and blurred work-life boundaries hindering emotional recovery. Practices like mandatory fun activities or public recognition for positivity inadvertently discourage vulnerability. Dr Chandni suggests, “To combat pleasanteeism, organisations must foster a culture that values authenticity and supports mental well-being.”

Recent research byLime highlights how pleasanteeism is negatively impacting workplace mental health and productivity. This ‘brave face’ culture, where employees feel pressured to appear upbeat despite struggles, continues to hinder open dialogue about mental health at work.

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Key findings from the report include:

• 40% of workers report feeling less resilient now than they did before the pandemic.
• 26% admit to struggling to cope with work demands.
• 51% feel compelled to maintain a brave face in front of colleagues.
• 44% acknowledge that low personal resilience affects their job performance.

These findings underline the urgent need for workplaces to foster an environment where employees can express vulnerability without fear, promoting both well-being and productivity.

How Does Pleasanteeism Affect Mental Health In The Short And Long Term?

Here’s how pleasanteeism can impact mental health in the short and long term, as suggested by Dr Chandni:

Short-term Effects

• Emotional Exhaustion: Constantly pretending to be upbeat drains mental energy, leaving individuals feeling emotionally depleted and less engaged in personal relationships or activities.
• Increased Anxiety: The need to monitor expressions and emotions creates stress, heightening fears of showing vulnerability.
• Physical Strain: Stress often manifests physically, leading to headaches, muscle tension, and sleep disruptions that further impact mental well-being.

Long-term Effects

• Identity Disconnect: Prolonged emotional suppression can cause individuals to lose touch with their authentic selves, leading to confusion about their true feelings.
• Chronic Burnout: Maintaining a cheerful facade depletes psychological reserves, increasing the risk of long-term burnout marked by emotional detachment and reduced productivity.
• Weakened Relationships: The habit of masking emotions can hinder authentic connections, resulting in isolation and a fragile support system.
• Career Stagnation: The energy spent on maintaining appearances detracts from skill-building, limiting professional growth and self-worth.
• Unhealthy Coping: To handle the pressure, some may turn to harmful coping mechanisms like overindulgence in food or alcohol, worsening mental health issues.

How To Balance Professionalism With Emotional Authenticity At Work?

Dr Chandni Tugnait emphasises the importance of striking a balance between professionalism and emotional authenticity at work to safeguard mental well-being. She shares a few practical strategies to achieve this:

• Set personal boundaries: Begin your day by defining your emotional and workload limits. When new tasks arise, respond with, "Let me check my schedule," instead of an immediate "yes," to give yourself time for an honest assessment.
• Develop 'professional authenticity' language: Express your state without compromising professionalism. For example, replace "I'm feeling overwhelmed" with "I need to reassess my workload to ensure quality."
• Create recovery windows: Schedule short breaks for emotional resets. These 10-15 minute intervals serve as decompression moments, helping you process emotions privately before returning to work.
• Practice selective vulnerability: Share challenges appropriately while focusing on solutions. Instead of saying, "I'm struggling," frame it as, "I've identified challenges and would like to explore possible approaches."
• Build trust circles: Cultivate relationships with one or two trusted colleagues to foster genuine connections, creating safe spaces for authentic expression without overstepping professional boundaries.

These strategies offer a balanced approach to navigating pleasanteeism while protecting mental health.

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