According to new research being yourself at work isn’t a good idea if you want to further your career. Instead you should just act like a Boss.
Being honest and open about yourself might get you a bucket load of friends out in the real world, but it might not get you that promotion you’ve been dying for. Research suggests that being open with your friends might make you happier in life, but the same can’t be said for being honest and open in the work place.
Researchers from the University of Greenwich in London looked at the levels of “authentic self expression” in over 500 volunteers to see how far they opened up to people on a social scale.
The results showed that the volunteers were more likely to be themselves with their partners, followed by their friends and finally with their parents. You never told your parents the truth anyway.
The volunteers were noted to be much less open with their work colleagues then anyone else. Which, we suppose, is a little bit surprising seeing as you probably spend more time with your work colleagues then you do with your friends.
Dr Oliver Robinson, from the University of Greenwich in London, said: “You hear self-help gurus say that the secret of happiness is ‘being yourself’ or ‘expressing your true feelings’, but that doesn’t seem to apply in the workplace.
“So in some circumstances, it may be that a polite smile or tactfully keeping quiet may be more conducive to your well-being than saying what you actually think and feel to work colleagues.”
