What is “gloss”? The new trend towards toxic workplaces

The workplace will never be perfect and we are now more aware than ever of how toxic they can be.

There have been several viral trends in the workplace recently, such as quiet quitting, where employees, many of whom are burned out, do only the bare minimum.

New studies have now looked at another worrying problem in the workplace. The so-called “glossing” is probably something you have experienced before…

What is glossing?

Glossing is when an employer or manager, or generally someone higher up in the hierarchy, glosses over problems by ignoring (or glossing over) them.

Instead, they represent the so-called positives. Although transparency should always be the best policy, this is rarely the case. According to recent data from a, only 15 percent of employees believe their employers are consistently open about the challenges they face Leadership IQ Survey.

So glossing is essentially euphemisticR You can cover up the negative with a touch of toxic positivity by completely ignoring the not-so-great situations. This can leave employees feeling unheard, valued or disrespected.

The danger of toxic positivity and glossing over problems

David Rice, HR expert at People managing peoplesays that euphemisms can be both harmful and unhelpful to employees because they “undermine trust in leadership.”

In conversation with Indy100he said: “It makes people believe that [managers] Don’t listen to them, either intentionally or through ignorance. It also causes people to question your grip on reality and whether or not you are ever authentic. These are all bad things because no one wants to work for such a personality or feel like the managers are out of touch.”

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In an attempt to maintain an overly positive atmosphere, real issues affecting employees may be downplayed or even ignored. But if you’ve ever seen Kristen Bell’s comedy The good placeknow that toxic positivity can be a cover for something, let’s say, pretty dark.

Employees may encounter difficulties when trying to deal with problems in the workplace. It might even feel easier to pretend they don’t exist. If your employer tries to overcompensate in difficult work situations, it may be whitewashing.

“Toxic positivity is an excessive and distorted form of positive thinking,” explained clinical psychologist Dr. Andrea Burgio-Murphy in the Leadership IQ report and survey. “It puts a positive spin on all experiences, no matter how bad or tragic they may be.”

“For example, you might feel toxic positivity when a friend or boss downplays or refuses to acknowledge your negative feelings or critical feedback. Or maybe they take it a step further and try to spin your dire situation in a positive direction, like, ‘It’s a blessing in disguise’ or ‘All things happen for a reason.’

What are the long-term effects of glossing?

HR expert Rice says that employees who are lower in the hierarchy at work and are subject to whitewashing from their bosses “tend to feel irrelevant” and “have the impression that the problems they are dealing with are not a priority.”

He adds: “[Glossing] “Creates a feeling of disconnection and that leads to a lack of commitment and trust in the company’s goals.”

A company’s “culture” is usually a key selling point in job advertisements when it comes to attracting applicants. However, as Rice says, whitewashing creates a culture in which “transparency doesn’t exist.”

How can managers avoid sugarcoating?

The key to avoiding sugarcoating in the workplace is for managers to be honest. Solutions must be acknowledged and addressed clearly and honestly in difficult situations.

Leena Rinne, Global Head of Coaching at Skillsoft, said Business Insider that managers can sometimes call the shots and address problems far too bluntly.

Ultimately, managers must be taught to be transparent and thus build trust.

Rinne said, “It’s more beneficial when people feel safe and engaged than when they spend hours on end glossing over the clock.”

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