The Performative Workplace: When Words and Actions Don’t Match

We’ve all seen it. The company that preaches ‘honesty’ but withholds information. The ‘people-first’ organization that lays off employees like clockwork. The executive who proudly shares selfies with frontline teams on LinkedIn but never acknowledges them internally. The manager who ‘values work-life balance’—until you actually try to unplug.

These contradictions don’t just frustrate employees. They destroy trust, engagement, and credibility.

And no, internal comms can’t fix what leadership won’t address.

I recently came across a Forbes article titled “Company Culture Is Your Competitive Advantage — Unless You Ignore It,” and wow, does it nail this issue.

It cites research showing that 83% of employees in strong workplace cultures feel motivated to do high-quality work—compared to just 45% in poor cultures.

Performative cultures are the corporate version of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”—leaders surrounded by employees who tell them what they want to hear, while they ignore any feedback that challenges their preferred narrative.

So, what can internal comms teams—or really anyone outside of leadership—do in these situations? Well, that’s where it gets tricky. The Forbes article offers great advice for leaders on holding up a mirror, but what about everyone else?

The Performative Workplace: When Words and Actions Don’t Match

We’ve all seen it. The company that preaches ‘honesty’ but withholds information. The ‘people-first’ organization that lays off employees like clockwork. The executive who proudly shares selfies with frontline teams on LinkedIn but never acknowledges them internally. The manager who ‘values work-life balance’—until you actually try to unplug.

These contradictions don’t just frustrate employees. They destroy trust, engagement, and credibility.

And no, internal comms can’t fix what leadership won’t address.

I recently came across a Forbes article titled “Company Culture Is Your Competitive Advantage — Unless You Ignore It,” and wow, does it nail this issue.

It cites research showing that 83% of employees in strong workplace cultures feel motivated to do high-quality work—compared to just 45% in poor cultures.

Performative cultures are the corporate version of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”—leaders surrounded by employees who tell them what they want to hear, while they ignore any feedback that challenges their preferred narrative.

So, what can internal comms teams—or really anyone outside of leadership—do in these situations? Well, that’s where it gets tricky. The Forbes article offers great advice for leaders on holding up a mirror, but what about everyone else?

How I've Survived Performative Cultures

• Detached emotionally.
  You can care about your work without letting it consume you.
  

• Assessed whether this was a phase or a pattern.
  Is leadership going through a rough patch, or is this just how things are?
  

• Built a strong support system.
  Inside your organization, find allies who see what you see—maybe even band together to present patterns and data to leadership. Outside of work, who can help you decompress, find perspective, or just let you vent?

At the end of the day, we all play a role in shifting performative cultures. Whether it’s detaching, assessing, or finding your allies, you’ve got options.