Across businesses, there is an expectation that you conform in the workplace. This makes sense: work is work, everyone has a job to do. But what about topics or behaviours that are left unsaid or avoided?
The workplace taboo can take many forms, and most of the time we know what they are and don’t engage or participate in them. For example, committing crimes like assault or robbery will find you without a job and in jail. These are taboo because we know that they are, and we feel that they are wrong.
These are real work taboos that we know to avoid. But what about topics that feel taboo, but shouldn’t be? Let’s take a look.
The right to disconnect
In August of 2024, the Right to Disconnect law passed, legislating against employers unreasonably contacting their employees outside of working hours. This has opened much debate in Australia about what the right disconnect means and, more broadly, work-life balance. In a vacuum, the right to disconnect makes sense: if you aren’t working, why take your boss’s call or text?
Where the right to disconnect gets tricky is when we apply it to the real world where not everything is black and white. What happens if your contract contains reasonable overtime, or is vague about outside of work contact? This is where a workplace conflict can occur, and naturally, people tend to avoid conflict as much as possible, which leads to not talking about your workplace rights.
Ultimately, avoiding conflict leads to an environment where working can be intolerable and stressful. Research compiled by the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) has found that 30-50% of a typical manager’s time is spent managing workplace conflict. In their findings, AIM has observed that due to conflict in the workplace:
- 7% of compensation claims are attributed to stress
- Stress claim payouts make up 27% of the total dollar amount compensated per year, at an average of $115,000 per payout.
- 80% of staff turnover is due to unsatisfactory relationships with a boss.
It is important, then, that we do talk about expectations and the realities of work. There is nothing wrong with employees laying out their boundaries and how it relates to employment. Being on the same page is the point of the right to disconnect and should not be taboo.
Bathroom anxiety and what your colleagues really think
When at work or in public, you will probably need to go to the bathroom. We are human, there is no shame in it; going to the bathroom is natural. Input and output, what goes in must come out. Yet in the workplace, this isn’t as straightforward as one might think.
In September 2024, the Queensland health department launched a social media campaign, “It’s ok to poo at work”, highlighting the anxiety associated with going to the toilet in public or at work.
It may be silly, but ‘shy bowl’, or parcopresis, is a real phenomenon where someone cannot go to the bathroom due to the fear of scrutiny by others. The stress that this social phobia causes results in people not going to the bathroom when they are at work or in a public place. This could lead to some serious health issues and shouldn’t be dismissed.
When it comes to professional image, people may remove parts of their personality that appear a certain way to their colleagues. But this can be detrimental to your well-being. Don’t be ashamed of something that everyone does. When nature calls, answer.
Can you really talk about your pay?
The ‘salary taboo’, as it is sometimes called, is when people feel their wage or salary shouldn’t be discussed because it could cause resentment in the workplace. This taboo still persists in Australia, as up until 7 December 2022, it was legal for employers to prohibit their employees from discussing their pay in their employment contracts.
Now that the Pay Secrecy Law is in effect in Australia, employees have the right to share (or withhold) information about their salary and wages. There are caveats to this, as any employment agreement that contains pay secrecy signed before 7 December 2022 is still enforceable if amendments to a contract have not been made after the introduction of the legislation.
You should also remember that while pay secrecy is no longer off limits, your colleagues have the right not to share information about their salary or wage. We can sometimes put too much emotion in how much we earn, but it’s not about the haves and the have nots, it’s about transparency and knowing what you’re worth. Having an open system that acknowledges what everyone brings to the table cuts through the noise and allows people to focus on work and the rewards that come with it.
Talking mental health
Nationally, from individuals to businesses, there has been a huge drive to address the mental health crisis in Australia. We have dedicated days like R U OK Day to bring attention to these issues and encourage people to seek help. The mental health crisis in Australia is widespread, as 1 in 5 Aussies have experienced a mental disorder in the last 12 months.
In the scope of the economy, mental ill-health causes $39 billion in lost participation and productivity every year. The Australian Institute of Wellbeing and Health (AIHW) has recorded that 59% of those aged under 65 have difficulties continuing employment due to mental health issues. The human element of all this is shared as in all likelihood, someone you know – whether they are a colleague, friend or loved one – suffers from mental illness and often struggles alone.
There is a long way to go when it comes to tackling mental health in Australia. However, part of being an Aussie is to help each other out: mateship and getting a fair go. These concepts are baked into the Aussie psyche, and are virtues that we hold dear. Why don’t we use a bit of our identity, add it into the mix, and talk to each other? Everything starts with a conversation, and embracing compassion and empathy with a simple, “Are you okay?” is an easy way to foster an inclusive and healthy workplace.
No beating around the bush
As Australians, we love a straight shooter and getting to the point – up until we get into uncomfortable conversations. So let’s get to the point, no beating around the bush, and demystify hard conversations in the workplace, and leave real workplace taboos where they belong.
