Psychologist shares 'annoying' unwritten work rule that's tough on folks from low-income backgrounds

It takes substantial experience and skill to navigate the corporate culture effectively. One particular aspect the corporate world expects its employees to ace is the art of professional communication. This potential is valued as much as one's technical skills and particularly challenges several white-collar workers from low-income backgrounds. Emphasizing this perspective, an industrial-organizational psychologist, Dr. Ann Kallschmidt–who goes by @drkallschmidt on TikTok–shared a video that many found relevant. As part of her "Unwritten Rule of Work" series, Kallschmidt spoke about one "annoying" work rule that is hard to navigate for white-collar corporate employees originally from a low-income background.

After introducing herself, the psychologist mentioned that she has always been annoyed by the fact that, in corporate, one is expected to "learn how to be indirect in their communication." Her comment was primarily based on research conducted by interviewing workers from blue-collar backgrounds who transitioned to upper-class backgrounds through their employment. It included men and women of different races and most of them had one common concern regarding the corporate culture. "They felt like they had to cushion their language or use 'kid gloves' when talking to people or giving feedback, particularly if it was not just agreeing with them," the psychologist said.

Kallschmidt compares the situation of "moving from blue-collar to white-collar" to the popular folktale, "The Emperor's New Clothes," where the emperor wears invisible clothes. The psychologist uses this analogy to imply that white-collar corporate jobs require employees to be a little "indirect" while communicating differences in opinions. She highlighted how blue-collar jobs like construction or electrical work don't call for adding a "cushion" in communication. For instance, if one has to notify about a safety concern, one need not start with formal greetings and softened tones. They simply have to lay out the issue directly. "But in the office, in corporate culture, it's expected to cushion more," Kallschmidt added. 

Though using such buffered communication in corporate might not convey the meaning or sense of urgency properly, it has become a requirement. The psychologist shared tips to navigate this "unwritten work rule." She challenged business leaders to create a "communication culture" that helps both executives and associates understand what's respectful for them. Addressing the employees, Kallschmidt suggested that one must start their e-mail or meetings with a greeting followed by asking about how they were doing. When disagreeing with higher officials, employees must respect their authority and use "I" statements instead of "You" statements. "Ask questions before assuming," she said, adding that "building a relationship" is more important in corporate. 

Overall, Kallschmidt's video highlighted the significance of being respectful while communicating disagreements or emergencies in corporate. With over 33000 views, this video was relatable to many. "It's been hard for me, at times, because I grew up in the States, but my family is foreign. I am culturally linked to direct communication, whereas pure Americans are always talking in riddles," said @qaz.plmokn. "The emperor's new clothes analogy is so spot on, especially in the fine art world. This series has been so validating I could cry," remarked @not_sorry_art. "As a woman from a blue-collar background, the number of times I heard, 'You need to soften your feedback,' but never understood what that meant," chimed in @beneokvd.

You can follow Dr. Ann Kallschmidt (@drkallschmidt) on TikTok for more industrial-organizational psychology content.