In corporate offices, emotional expression is often trimmed to fit the dress code.
You show up polished. Efficient. Competent. But underneath? Grief. Impostor syndrome. Chronic self-doubt masked as perfectionism.
As a corporate psychologist, I sit with senior leaders and new employees who confess quietly, “I feel like I’m performing all the time.”
This emotional dissonance—between how we feel and how we must appear—isn’t just exhausting. It’s dangerous. It leads to disengagement, burnout, and resentment. Not because people don’t care—but because caring has no sanctioned space.
What if corporate wellness wasn’t limited to yoga apps and productivity hacks?
What if it meant culture audits, leadership training rooted in emotional intelligence, and managers who model vulnerability instead of invincibility?
Emotional literacy in the workplace isn’t a luxury. It’s the bedrock of psychological safety. And where there’s safety, there’s creativity. Retention. Belonging.
Underneath the masks, people still want to be seen.
