The other day I was chatting to someone about awareness of menopause at work. And I think it’s great that more organisations are talking about a topic that has been taboo for too long.

But there are so many other things we often don’t talk about at work – loneliness, bullying, prostate problems, exclusion, menstruation, miscarriage, IBS, overwhelm, bereavement, domestic abuse, anxiety and so many more. They all can impact work performance and engagement.

I’m wondering why people can feel more comfortable raising these topics in a coaching session but not in a conversation at work. Or with their leader.

Maybe they don’t believe they’ll still be valued. Maybe they’re worried they’ll go in the ‘too hard basket’ or their reputation as a superstar will be tarnished.

I think it depends on how much you trust the person you’re telling. It all comes down to the relationship. And it can be hard to build those real relationships in a hybrid world. It requires sustained and intentional effort to build authentic and strong work relationships. I’m not seeing a lot of that effort right now. A weekly WIP just isn’t going to cut it.

So…would you tell your leader that you’re struggling because your beloved dog (or cat) has passed? Or would you make up another excuse? And does it really matter anyway?