Read Article

Tips for Handling Peer Pressure At Office

Probably right from the day, we are born we are a mix of positive and negative emotions that later gets finetuned with time. As a child, we can express our rage and annoyance easily we later learn to envelop ourselves with grace as we proceed further in life. Yet, certain undiscovered toxic behaviour patterns can give you a tough time throughout adulthood. One such classic example is changing jobs or moving to another city for a better opportunity under peer pressure. In the article, we will further discuss all the aspects of office peer pressure in depth along with suggestions to overcome it.

Who are your peers?

People around us with whom we share the same abilities, educational qualifications, and positions come under the category of peers. Often people of the same age group are considered peers and can be associated with you in any domain. They can be your friends, co-workers, acquaintances, family members, or neighbours. This entire ecosystem influences our growth on emotional, social and mental levels and aspire us to choose to pave our paths in a way that we have a lifestyle like them

What is peer pressure?

The majority of us were born and raised with our family evaluating our school achievement or social habits to those of our peers. As a result, we believe it is reasonable to compare ourselves to our peers and imitate their speech, clothes, and behaviour.

The urge to do so is referred to as peer pressure. Individuals are susceptible to peer pressure as they are growing up and starting out in their careers.

It is helpful when peer pressure motivates us to improve our performance and grow as individuals. Peer pressure, on the second hand, may be harmful to our health if it generates emotions of inferiority or defeat, or if we start to worry that our friends are able to complete activities that we find difficult. Peer pressure has a significant influence on our ability to form and maintain meaningful relationships.

What is peer pressure in the workplace?

Places of employment are frequently tight networks with their own set of rules, conventions, and values. The temptation to conform may be enormous in a workplace that relies on kinfolk, ambition, advancement, and job stability, and you may be expected to adapt your behaviour or actions to match those around you.

Shall we consider peer pressure good or bad?

At work, peer pressure may be a double-edged sword. The forces that bring about stability, commitment to professional ethics, and the urge to sustain a competitive advantage are all beneficial consequences.

Peer pressure, however, can take on a negative colour as a result of the push and pull of influential factors. These are the forces that often poison a company's informal dynamics. To create a good and efficient work atmosphere, strong leaders ensure that peer pressure is properly handled.

Peer pressure doesn’t only work in your favour in terms of taking action.

People are more inclined to do something if they hear that their friends or coworkers are doing it, according to popular thinking. According to a new study, this isn't always the case. A production line seeking more employees to enrol in one of its retirement plans contacted several experts for help, including James Choi, a finance professor at Yale School of Management. To increase membership in the company's retirement savings accounts, the researchers opted to use a peer-pressure method.

When social pressure is made general, it's stronger.

Peer pressure's effectiveness varies depending on the incentives. Researchers from Harvard, Yale, the Federal Trade Commission, and the University of California, San Diego discovered that employing sign-up sheets placed in public areas was marginally more successful than giving monetary incentives in getting individuals to enrol in a blackout prevention programme.

"People feel peer pressure to participate when they realize it's a group effort," David Rand, one of the research's co-authors, stated in a news statement when the study was announced. "'If I don't do this, I'm going to appear like a jackass,' they reason. If it's not observable, though, there's no need to participate."

Sings you are in the bad influence of peer pressure

●      You have cultivated bad habits

One of the negative consequences of peer pressure is that people will engage in improper behaviour such as cigarettes, drinking, or even using drugs just because their friends urge them to. A pastime that starts out as an adventure quickly becomes a habit. People are aware that these behaviours are harmful, yet they are unable to say no to their friends for fear of losing them and being lonely. They succumb to the pressure because they are afraid of losing their greatest pals.

●      You are more likely to be in dangerous situations

Peer pressure in its more extreme forms encourages harmful behaviours including drinking, smoking, and drug misuse. People are technically aware that these are bad habits to develop, but they rationalize it with the brash confidence of youth and the need to be accepted. Long-term implications aren't really on their minds at this moment.

●      You make decisions that are not your choice completely

Every individual is distinct from the next. It's possible that you want something that your buddies don't want. In this scenario, listening to your heart rather than obeying what others tell you to do is the greatest option. It is not a good idea to make decisions like going to the same university or selecting the same job only to keep in touch with pals. If you've been making bad judgments recently, it might be due to a lot of peer pressure.

●      Your confidence is shaken completely

Some effects can be beneficial, while others might be detrimental. Peer pressure has the ability to turn a usually confident youngster into someone who is unsure of themselves and has poor self-esteem. Poor self-confidence and lack of self-esteem can have a negative influence on a child's overall health.

●      Have suicidal tendencies

Peer pressure may have such a negative effect on kids that they can't abide being in their own skin, grow estranged from friends and family, and become unhappy and worried. In such situations, office workers may try self-harm or even dream of suicide, have suicidal thoughts, and eventually commit themselves.

How to handle peer pressure at work?

Everyone has been subjected to peer pressure at some time in their life, which commonly begins in infancy. Adults, while we like to think we've outgrown the playground, are nonetheless susceptible to social pressure on a regular basis.

Strong leaders must ensure that peer pressure is properly controlled inside their firm in order to create a good and productive work environment. There are also some suggestions for successfully overcoming peer pressure.

●      Understand that you are not under any compulsion

When dealing with peer influence, one of the first lessons to learn is to adopt a firm stance. If something doesn't seem right, make a decision about how you'll handle it and stick to it. When dealing with peer pressure, being insecure about yourself can only cause tension and embarrassment. Peer pressure is not a result of any written policy or a requirement of your employment. As a result, you are not obligated to give in.

●      Say no assertively and meaningfully

Saying 'no' to peer pressure is the most fundamental method to respond. Standing firm against peer pressure can spare you the hassle of being pressured again in the future by sending a clear message that you aren't interested. Maintain eye contact and be assertive. This demonstrates your unwillingness to engage.

●      Try to be calm under pressure

Whatever occurs, maintain a cool demeanour. This will take some time to master, but the more you practice, the better you will become. Maintaining your composure displays that you can take things in stride and fulfil your responsibilities even in the face of adversity.

●      Learn the tact to change the subject if you can not answer the questions comfortably

Ignoring the topic might be interpreted as a sign that you're still interested but don't want to react. This might lead to more pressure in the future. Changing the subject, on the other hand, will give you some breathing room until you're ready to answer.

●      Say goodbye to drama and gossip

Refrain from engaging in debates or other conflicts with your co-workers. Maintain a busy schedule to keep your thoughts pleasant and motivated. We're all drawn into the drama from time to time. However, if you're getting too worked up, take a break and consider what you believe the final conclusion should be. Stop, take a deep breath, take a step back, and continue with a clear head.

●      Be free to make your own decisions

Do activities that bring you joy and make your own judgments. While some individuals may urge you to do something that pushes you out of your comfort zone in a positive way, be aware of any potential negative outcomes.

The need to fit in and feel like a member of a group is natural, and most individuals experience it at times, especially throughout adolescence and young adulthood, but it doesn't go away unless it's handled. Peer pressure, or the idea that you have to do something in order to fit in, be accepted, or be respected, is difficult to overcome. It can be overt (e.g., pals joking about you not doing what they're doing), or less overt (e.g., watching others at a party doing shots and feeling left out if you don't, knowing a buddy had LSD and being intrigued about it).

The key here is to understand what is negative and what falls under positive to make things work out for you most efficiently. For more such information, do not forget to follow WellEQ, a holistic wellbeing platform.