Balancing status-seeking behavior: getting workplaces working

The adaptation to hybrid work continues to shape the modern workplace. Business leaders often hope their teams will spend more time in the office. But they may need to fully comprehend the significance of status-signaling and status-seeking behavior within the office environment.

The experience of being immersed in an environment where status signalling is rampant can differ significantly for those at different levels of the social strata, leading to varying preferences regarding office use.

Status-seeking drives our decision-making and fuels our ambition

The quest for status is a fundamental human instinct. We all want to feel valued and respected. So, we seek status through our possessions, relationships, and careers.

Pursuing higher status drives ambition and inspires us to excel in our endeavours. As the author Robert Greene writes: “The pursuit of status often leads people to push the boundaries of their capabilities, striving for greatness and leaving a mark on the world.”

Status anxiety

The desire to climb higher on the social ladder can be motivating, but it can also trigger anxiety when we compare ourselves unfavorably to others. Alain de Botton’s “Status Anxiety” delves into the fear of being perceived as unsuccessful.

Status anxiety arises from constantly worrying about how we are perceived by others, hindering us from living life to the fullest and possibly causing feelings of self-doubt and even depression.

Office life and rampant status signaling

Our working lives often revolve around status-seeking behavior, creating a competitive office environment. While healthy competition can benefit, excessive status-seeking can create a toxic workplace atmosphere. Hierarchy is significant in offices, with job titles as status indicators. Seniority often equates to more influence, and using one’s rank to exert leverage is common.

The presence of exclusive perks, such as dedicated parking spots and larger offices with better views, further fuel status-seeking behavior. Office politics can involve gossiping and positioning oneself within exclusive circles while using jargon and dressing in a certain way can also signal status.

Once you stop to think about it, you see status-signalling behaviour all around you in the office.

Getting the balance right

Status-seeking is not inherently harmful. In moderation, it can motivate individuals to excel. However, excessive status-seeking can adversely affect work life and interpersonal relationships, particularly for those with lower status.

The office environment may boost the self-esteem and confidence of those in top-tier positions, but it can be demotivating for more junior employees. People in the same shared space consequently have very different experiences.

Greater awareness of status anxiety allows managers to develop strategies to encourage office use among all team members.

Acknowledging the prevalence and impact of status-seeking behavior in the workplace can lead to a more empathetic and understanding approach to office use.

Creating a supportive and inclusive office culture that values all team members can foster a healthier and more productive work environment. In doing so, it may unlock all the benefits that come from sharing a common space and greater face-to-face interaction.

A version of this article originally appeared in The Property Chronicle. To read other articles I have written for The Property Chronicle, please click here.