Toxic Positivity in the Workplace

Abstract

Organizations often encourage the experience and expression of positive emotions among employees at work, while negative emotions are considered inappropriate. However, what happens when workers dismiss the negative experiences of others and encourage unrealistic positivity? This phenomenon, called toxic positivity in popular press, has not been theorized in management scholarship. I conduct five studies in which I develop a multi-dimensional scale to measure toxic positivity in the workplace, assess its empirical distinctiveness from existing constructs, and determine predictors and outcomes associated with enacting toxic positivity. This research paves the way for future research on toxic positivity and provides practical insight into how to effectively support and encourage healthy emotional expression in the workplace.