Sweeping aside toxic workplace bulldust

Every workplace is prone to being filled with a noxious mixture of false claims, deceitful narratives, baseless rumours and fabricated stories. 

This concoction of misinformation, or “workplace bulldust”, can pose a significant threat to the integrity of the modern place of work. 

While it is nothing new, technological advances have significantly increased the volume of deceptive information employees are exposed daily. 

What is workplace bulldust?

Workplace bulldust takes on various forms within the organisational context, from deceptive conversations and misleading reports to manipulated data and skewed statistics. 

It is a form of persuasion that pays little attention to the truth and has the potential to infiltrate every corner of the workplace. 

Dubious claims often permeate presentations, employee evaluations and corporate communications. And the tales spun by those in charge and smooth-talking colleagues can sometimes be more fanciful than a fairytale. 

Even astute managers and HR professionals fall victim to workplace bulldust, spending considerable resources on consultants who promise quick and miraculous solutions to complex employment issues. 

Research and analysis are not immune, either. Some reports and findings seem to be generated solely to generate a buzz, with a heavy dose of hype and little factual basis. 

How distrust affects organisations

The consequences of workplace bulldust can be far-reaching and impact everything from employee morale and job satisfaction to the overall productivity of the organisation. 

It erodes trust, fosters cynicism and hinders effective decision-making. If you believe your place of work is being slowly poisoned by the noxious presence of workplace bulldust, it might be time to address it head on. 

Each employee possesses an internal bulldust detector, even though it might need to be activated and fine-tuned. 

Activating yours is straightforward. It begins with scrutinising the source of information and evaluating whether the individual providing it is credible and knowledgeable in the workplace context. 

Acknowledge your biases

It is also essential to be aware of your own biases. Ask yourself if you are inclined to accept information simply because it aligns with your preconceived beliefs or preferences. 

The more you desire a particular piece of workplace bulldust to be true, the more susceptible you become to accepting it as fact. Applying the mantra, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”, can be a valuable tool in your arsenal. 

When confronted with dubious claims, consider probing further with questions like, “What is the basis for this assertion?” or, “Can you provide concrete evidence to support this claim?”.

Above all, avoid blindly adopting a position or making decisions solely because they are said to be supported by data. 

Data can be manipulated, misrepresented or selectively presented to advance a particular agenda. 

Your internal workplace bulldust detector might have been dormant for a while. But it can be reactivated and sharpened when necessary to help navigate the treacherous terrain of a workplace infiltrated by bulldust.