Bring your whole self to work

Merryoldgoat · 02/03/2025 15:27

Thankfully no. I don’t want to deal with my own ‘whole self’ let alone everyone else’s.

Ddakji · 02/03/2025 15:27

I’ve not through about it like that before but it does make complete sense.

I hate the whole concept. Just bring your professional self to work!

Movinginthesunlight · 02/03/2025 15:28

Porvendo · 02/03/2025 15:26

My organisation is big on 'bring your whole self to work' crap. We've done training sessions where we're meant to 'open up' about life's troubles etc and get to know each other more deeply.

I used to buy into it all and considered certain colleagues friends etc but more recently I've seen the organisation and some of its leaders in a whole new light (after a nasty redundancy process where we let go of 12 colleagues) and it all feels a bit like they were just duping us into work more hours and creating a sense of blind loyalty (a bit like a cult)

AIBU? Has anyone else experienced this at work

Do you work where i used to?!

Unfortunately a lot of organisations love to perform publicly and pay lip service to these types of things. They love the pictures for social media and local press etc.

Lanzarotelady · 02/03/2025 15:30

I don't want to bring my whole self to work, I want to bring my professional self to work, to do the job I am paid to do!

I wouldn't last 5 bloody minutes if I brought my whole self to work.

Savemefromwetdog · 02/03/2025 15:31

Yanbu. Work environments would be infinitely better if people left most of their selves at home. Professionalism is underrated.

BeachRide · 02/03/2025 15:31

Never, ever bring your whole self to work.

Babsgranddaughter · 02/03/2025 15:33

No one actually wants to bring their whole self to work, nor do employers actually want that. My whole self for example would sometimes feel too sad or anxious to work, and other days to sit around chatting, or perhaps not even to turn up at all. My whole self would definitely have a low threshold for HR wankspeak. In other words, we all hide our true selves behind a professional mask, or we get fired. To test it just imagine what happens if you bring your single-mother-with-a-frequently-unwell-toddler self to work and how valued you are.

NowYouSee · 02/03/2025 15:35

This stuff is generally well meant - you shouldn’t have to hide that you are same sex attracted or have caring responsibilities say. But I find it then quickly turns into an expectation that you will share personal details. And frankly who I am sleeping with, and my draws on out of work time are none of your business.

Howlongdoesittake · 02/03/2025 15:35

The organisation I work for wants us all to be our authentic selves, but quietly. It’s all a load of bollocks. Wanky corporate speak.

Dearg · 02/03/2025 15:36

I am not sure employers really mean ‘bring your whole self to work’ in the way it is described ( open up etc).
I have worked for and with several US corporations and Bring your whole self to work basically means ‘Devote your whole life to us, forsaking all others, until such time as we have wrung you dry ‘
Their HR departments would freak at the idea that we were getting to know each other deeply. Strongly discouraged.

lostintherainyday · 02/03/2025 15:36

My work did this bullshit in 2020/21. I just made a “self” up and brought her instead. She was more interesting and less vulnerable than me 😅

They seem to be over it now and we are back to professional boundaries.

BassesAreBest · 02/03/2025 15:39

I can guarantee that nobody wants me to bring my whole self to work…

I think it probably comes from a good place in terms of not having to hide or lie about things that are important in your life - but please maintain professional boundaries.

zzplec · 02/03/2025 15:41

Depends how it's being interpreted. For me it just means a work environment where staff can divulge something personal, if relevant, without feeling the need to hide it. For example, someone in a same-sex relationship feeling confident to casually mention the name of their partner instead of skirting round their relationship status because they don't want to out themselves.

I don't interpret it as airing your dirty laundry to all your work colleagues.

Whoowhoopitstbesoundofthedapolice · 02/03/2025 15:42

I couldn't be arsed with that carry on.
I work with some awful people who bring their whole self to work everyday and its draining.

It has been drama and tantrum after drama and tantrum.

InfoSecInTheCity · 02/03/2025 15:43

I tend to think that the people leading these kind of initiatives have had a very average upbringing and live a reasonably happy life now and just don't even think about the fact that many others haven't.

The people I work with don't need or want to know about my life story, and frankly they really don't want to know what I'm thinking some of the time because people would be offended or find it awkward.

I bring my professional self to work and they seem happy believing that that is my whole self.

LivingLaVidaBabyShower · 02/03/2025 15:45

It’s hippy dippy individualist nonsense.

its leveraged by certain individuals who use it to platform and advance themselves. But
mostly it’s just a bad idea for everyone.

i don’t need to see your nipple piercing and know you are bisexual and non binary for you to fix my laptop at the help desk…

TwoRobins · 02/03/2025 15:45

Porvendo · 02/03/2025 15:26

My organisation is big on 'bring your whole self to work' crap. We've done training sessions where we're meant to 'open up' about life's troubles etc and get to know each other more deeply.

I used to buy into it all and considered certain colleagues friends etc but more recently I've seen the organisation and some of its leaders in a whole new light (after a nasty redundancy process where we let go of 12 colleagues) and it all feels a bit like they were just duping us into work more hours and creating a sense of blind loyalty (a bit like a cult)

AIBU? Has anyone else experienced this at work

What a crock of BS. I would say never bring your whole self to work!

TwoRobins · 02/03/2025 15:46

lostintherainyday · 02/03/2025 15:36

My work did this bullshit in 2020/21. I just made a “self” up and brought her instead. She was more interesting and less vulnerable than me 😅

They seem to be over it now and we are back to professional boundaries.

Good for you! That was sensible.

Lanzarotelady · 02/03/2025 15:47

Nobody needs to know what I truly think of my colleagues and the diabolical policies that we are expected to work within
I will leave my cig smoking, gin swigging, bra less, pj clad opinions at home

HenDoNot · 02/03/2025 15:48

I’d much prefer my colleague to save their “whole self” for their family and friends, and just bring their professional self to work.

AlertCat · 02/03/2025 15:50

Agree with pp. My work involves strong professional boundaries for legal reasons, but even working in hospitality you need those. Parts of us should only be shared in genuinely safe places with genuinely safe people; other parts should be kept for our intimate partners or our children or siblings. I would not want to work with someone who really did bring their whole self to work. I imagine it has huge potential for distracting drama, conflict, problems of all kinds.

CorsicaDreaming · 02/03/2025 15:51

Merryoldgoat · 02/03/2025 15:27

Thankfully no. I don’t want to deal with my own ‘whole self’ let alone everyone else’s.

Amen to that!

Although I do have one really close office colleague / friend at the moment, and I helped her out a lot (taking on her workload plus friendly support ) when her DH was involved in an accident- and she's been really supportive of me over stuff recently.

It's nice to have a few genuine friend/colleagues. It's a stretch to see most people as any more than "friendly colleagues" at most imo... I think the acid test is if you're still keeping up as friends after you change jobs.

Squeakpopcorn · 02/03/2025 15:51

Merryoldgoat · 02/03/2025 15:27

Thankfully no. I don’t want to deal with my own ‘whole self’ let alone everyone else’s.

Yep. I was just thinking my whole self isn’t professional.

AnneLovesGilbert · 02/03/2025 15:55

It was getting a bit like that when I left my public sector job. I couldn’t give a shit about people’s whole selves and no interest in presenting mine. Bring your capable, efficient, professional self to work and get the fuck on with the work you’re paid to do.

Is there any evidence this bollocks improves productivity or staff welfare? I highly doubt it. I’d hazard a guess it’s the opposite.

DoYouReally · 02/03/2025 15:57

My whole self would tell my boss to feck off, whereas my professional self thanks him for his opinion.

We had those nonsense 5/6 years ago and responded to it by saying that we noted that the purpose was to unite and bond us and that we wouldn't be doing it and bonded and were united in our refusal.

There were very strong reasons for us to refuse it.

We never heard another word about it.