Context of Crisis: How It Affects Workplace Climate

Today, we face a highly adverse social, political, and labor context. For the past five years, the word CRISIS has been the most frequently heard everywhere. Every day, we witness mass layoffs, evictions, company closures, strikes, police interventions, salary reductions, budget cuts, reforms, corruption cases, and other national and international issues.

Some of these problems affect us personally and significantly. A family member, friend, or acquaintance may be unemployed, school expenses keep rising, fuel has become a luxury, movie tickets are now outrageously expensive, and at the end of the month, we struggle to make ends meet. We constantly have to adjust our lifestyles and make financial sacrifices.

All of this leads to irritability, pessimism, discomfort, insomnia, and more. We come to our colleagues, friends, and family, who in turn share their struggles, making us even more frustrated with the current situation. It’s a vicious cycle that paradoxically provides some comfort—we are not alone in our struggles, and there are always others worse off, much like Calderón de la Barca’s wise but miserable poor men.

With all this weight on our shoulders, when we arrive at work, it’s difficult to shed this burden at the office door. When faced with stressful situations, self-control becomes challenging, and instead of resolving conflicts, we might escalate them to release some of our frustration. At times, we even seek out conflict intentionally, fostering a toxic work environment. I’ve seen managers schedule unnecessary meetings outside working hours, create friction among colleagues, and give destructive feedback, all under the pretense of “getting the best” from their employees. However, in my view, they are simply perpetuating the cycle of negativity.

The Power of Optimism: Lessons from Punset and Sharot

On the other hand, thought leaders like Eduard Punset and Tali Sharot argue that humans are naturally optimistic.

• • • Punset explains that we are wired to remember positive experiences more than negative ones.
    • Sharot suggests that true happiness lies in anticipation—we feel happiest when thinking about what we are going to do, rather than in the moment itself.
    • We tend to ignore negative aspects beyond our control: “Out of sight, out of mind.”
    • We overlook wars, natural disasters, famine, and even personal risks like divorce, car accidents, or parenting challenges because focusing on them would hinder our well-being.
    • We are happy because we believe we are above average, that our decisions are the right ones, and that in any setback, things could have been worse.

Applying Punset and Sharot’s theories in the workplace would create a more positive and optimistic environment:

✔ Mistakes would be seen as learning opportunities, not grounds for dismissal.
✔ Good work would be recognized, not just failures.
✔ Teams would be optimistic about reaching agreements, achieving goals, and driving profitability.
✔ If anticipation brings happiness, our teams would be excited about hitting targets, completing projects, and overcoming crises.
✔ Employees wouldn’t fear entering their boss’s office and would leave work whistling instead of dreading the next day.

Building a Positive Workplace: Strategies for Leaders and Teams

If the theory is so appealing, why is reality so harsh?

• • Why do we leave work in a bad mood?
  • Why do we focus on the negatives when a new project arises?
  • Why do we assume the worst about our clients, colleagues, and bosses?

As leaders and people managers, positivity should be one of our most valuable contributions to our teams. Studies show that workplace climate can impact results by 30-40%. A positive and optimistic work culture improves commitment, innovation, teamwork, and synergy, leading to better performance.

Many may ask: What about money?

“All this positivity sounds nice, but my salary is still frozen or being cut.”

To that, I’d respond: How much is a great boss worth?

• • How much would you be willing to sacrifice to work in a relaxed, positive, and encouraging environment?

Creating this culture doesn’t require huge investments. Simple actions can transform a team’s morale:

✔ Enter work with a smile.
✔ Greet your team with a cheerful “Good morning” or “Good afternoon.”
✔ Acknowledge effort, not just errors.
✔ Focus on progress, not crisis.
✔ Communicate achievements and improvements positively.
✔ Consider your team’s needs, not just deadlines.
✔ Mediate conflicts instead of fueling them.
✔ Provide constructive feedback focused on growth.
✔ Be a role model of optimism.

In short, see the glass half full, not half empty.

More than ever, leaders and managers must embrace optimism. I would even suggest that evaluating and monitoring a leader’s ability to transmit optimism should become a standard—ensuring it doesn’t fade over time.