Does it ever feel like your work and home personalities are extremely different? Being authentic at work is proven to boost work satisfaction. It makes sense. Being authentically you, allows you to make meaningful relationships, which in turn creates a happier space, builds trust, and potentially leads to career growth. Not to mention, work takes up around two-thirds of the average lifetime, so you want it to be as enjoyable as possible. So, why and how should you go about bringing your personality to work?

Why Should You Bring Your Personality to Work?

Meaningful Relationships

Being yourself, in any facet of life is important for forming meaningful relationships. Not being true to yourself, limits the depth of your relationships, and creates barriers between you and others. Being yourself allows you to form an understanding, foster great communication, honesty and transparency among colleagues and align with the company culture! It’s no secret that injecting some fun into the workday can make time fly and create a more enjoyable environment. This is much easier when you’re genuine. If you feel like you can’t be yourself at work, it might not be the right fit for you.

A Space for Trust and Creativity

A facade feels robotic and stifles creativity. Authenticity and meaningful relationships at work can establish a trusting environment where you can comfortably engage with colleagues, innovate, be creative, and share genuine ideas. This environment is essential for work success and can enhance overall happiness.

Avoid Burnout

When you put on a facade for long periods of time, you become extremely prone to burnout. It is exhausting. Being yourself and acting naturally prevents this. If your employers don’t know who you are, they also probably don’t know your values or what you need to thrive in the workplace. Knowing you a little better can help create a more productive environment for long-term success.

Career Growth

Employers like to feel as if they know and can trust their employees. If your employers trust you, you communicate well, and you actively innovate and share ideas, you’re much more likely to have a successful career.

How Should You Bring Your Personality to Work?

So, it’s clearly important to be authentic at work. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to share the amount of pints you had at the pub on the weekend or the inside outs of your life. It simply means that your work and home selves needn’t be too different. Many of us were brought up thinking we should have a “work self” and a “home self”. But this ideology is unhelpful. You can be authentic and professional at the same time.

Ask Your Colleagues Questions

It can be challenging to open up to colleagues, especially if you have already been reserved. However, one of the best ways to build relationships and show your authentic self is to learn more about other people, their interests and hobbies.

Start small. Try asking colleagues about their weekend or evening. A little bit of friendly conversation, so long as it’s at the right time, might give you an opportunity to build trust and start friendships. There is definitely a balance here. You don’t want to air your dirty laundry, but there’s no harm in dropping in a few personal details here and there!

Listen and Show Appreciation

It’s important to make a deliberate attempt to recall what your colleagues have shared with you. By being able to recall anecdotes, values, or opinions that your colleagues have shared, you’ll have a better understanding of them and feel more at ease speaking with them in future conversations.

Work Events

Of course, not all workplaces offer work socials, events or drinks. But if they do, make sure you attend. Work socials are a great way to build friendships with colleagues in a more comfortable, less pressured environment. When socialising, it’s still worth remembering, these are your work colleagues – don’t go too wild!

Express Yourself Through Your Clothing

Clothing can be a great way to express your authentic self, as long as you align with dress codes. Wear what makes you feel comfortable and confident, while also showing a little personal flair!

Quadrant2Design, an exhibition stand design and build contractor based in the UK, provides its employees with the perk of casual dress. The industry is known for its creativity and design focus, and Quadrant2Design has found that allowing employees to wear their own attire leads to greater happiness and self-expression.

If dress codes are stricter, try using your jewellery or more subtle indicators to show a little of your personal style.

Summing Up

Bringing your personality to work is beneficial for creating meaningful relationships, fostering trust and creativity, avoiding burnout, and promoting career growth. By being authentic and professional at the same time, you can create a happier and more enjoyable work environment.

Remember, it’s important to start small, ask your colleagues questions, listen, show appreciation, attend work events, and express yourself through your clothing while adhering to dress codes. Finding the right balance between personal expression and professionalism can lead to a more fulfilling and successful career.