Workplace Hypocrisy

 

A discrepancy in what a person says / claims to believe and how a person behaves / treats others is called hypocrisy. Hypocrisy at the work place can be in various forms and it can detrimental to the overall workplace. There are many people around us who are hypocrites and they are masters in poisoning the workplace and throwing toxicity around. People who are not hypocrites suffer the most in organizations where workplace hypocrisy exists. They go through severe stress and suffer unnecessarily for being straightforward and honest compared to hypocrites. A hypocrite behaves in the following ways:

@@Double standards: When there are a different set of rules for different people / groups within an organization; one can smell the hypocrisy in the atmosphere. Double standards breed resentment and dissatisfaction within the employees. Being partial towards someone for an error and punishing somebody else for the same error would lead to disharmony within the organization.

@@ Lack of transparency: When an organization lacks transparency or when the leader withholds important information or decisions are taken behind closed doors without consulting the employees or taking their feedback; there can be feelings of distrust and hypocrisy.

@@Inconsistent Values: When a leader / organization does not practice what it preaches, it creates a sense of hypocrisy. For example, if a leader brags about being impartial or preaches about work - life balance but is partial and expects employees to work without looking at the clock / working overtime without any incentives it is hypocritical.

@@ Conflict of Interest: Not addressing / disclosing conflicts of interest can be instrumental in creating a perception of hypocrisy. For instance, taking decisions that will be of benefit to you / a close associate rather than doing what is in the interest of the organization erodes trust and creates a sense of unfairness.

@@ Ethical Dilemmas: Boasting of ethics and ethical behavior and resorting to unethical behavior gives rise to hypocrisy, dishonesty, discriminatory practices or unfair treatment, which contradict the stated values of the organization. 

Workplace hypocrisy can be very taxing to an employee who is working diligently and follows the rules and regulations. They are the ones who go through the rigmarole of being burdened whereas the dishonest ones end up squandering their time and indulging in sweet talk and buttering to avoid being caught by the honest ones around them.

A few tips to deal with workplace hypocrisy:

* Lead by example: Be consistent with your words and actions. Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior to influence others around you and set a bar for others to follow.

* Seek Support: If such hypocrisy persists for long and affects your well being; it is time for you to seek support from your colleagues, mentors or your professional network. It could be possible that their support and guidance makes it easy for you to navigate in this tough situation by their advice / alternative perspectives.

* Communicate: Make it a point to communicate if such events are witnessed by you. Address the issue before your colleague / leader / anyone you trust. You can put forward the impact of workplace hypocrisy with appropriate examples to the person.

* Assess your Options: If the workplace hypocrisy becomes unbearable and compels you to compromise with your ethics / career goals then it is time for you to take the call - whether to stay or exit from the organization. But you must consider the various factors that are important for you before taking this decision.

IN THE END: BE BRUTALLY REAL, HONEST AND DILIGENT - THIS SCARES THE HYPOCRITES AROUND YOU.