William Simpson
Constantly announcing to coworkers how overworked you are at the office probably won’t impress your colleagues — in fact, it could have the opposite effect, new research shows.
“Bragging about stress” or “bragging too much” about your overflowing plate often leads to resentment from colleagues, a to study of the University of Georgia (UGA) programs. It also tends to make braggarts appear less competent at their job, researchers have found.
“This is behavior we’ve all seen and can all be guilty of at some point,” said Jessica Rodell, professor of management in UGA’s Terry College of Business and lead author of the study. told UGA today, an online newspaper aimed at the university. “When I was wondering why people do this, I thought maybe we’re talking about our stress because we want to prove we’re good enough. We find that it often backfires.”
Despite the saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person” (variously attributed to Benjamin Franklin or writer Elbert Hubbard), the findings suggest that pushing through your busy schedule is unlikely to generate much goodwill. in working.
To assess such attitudes, UGA researchers asked hundreds of participants to rate a fictional coworker who made statements about an imaginary conference, including that it was “just one more thing on my plate. And I was already stressed to the max.” . you have no idea the stress I’m under.”
Study respondents said they found this type of individual to be less likable and less competent than a colleague who simply said that work had been stressful or, alternatively, who had positive things to say about the conference. Participants also said they would not be willing to help a complaining coworker. Researchers also studied braggarts in the real-life workplace and found that their colleagues often viewed them negatively.
“People are hurting themselves by doing something they think will make them look better to their peers,” Rodell said.
No badge of honor
Meanwhile, “bragging about stress” perpetuates a harmful notion, according to the study authors — that work must be stressful and, by extension, anyone who isn’t trying hard at work isn’t cutting the mustard.
“When someone is constantly talking and bragging about their stress, it seems like it’s good to be stressed,” Rodell told UGA today. “It simply affects the coworker next to them. They end up feeling more stressed, which leads to greater burnout or absence from work. Think of it as a contagious effect spiraling from one person to the next.”
Of course, all workers can experience some type of stress, and the study does not suggest that people should mask their emotions. And co-workers who were considered genuinely busy did not provoke ill will, the research found.
“If you’re really feeling stressed, it’s okay to find the right confidant to share and talk about it,” she said. “But be aware that it is not a matter of honor to be boastful – it will backfire,” Rodell said.
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