Validation is a psychological need that we all crave. It is the desire for acknowledgment, appreciation, and recognition from others. In the workplace, validation has become even more important, as employees seek the approval of their superiors, colleagues, and customers. However, this need for validation can be detrimental to employees’ mental health and well-being, as it could lead to a continuous cycle of seeking validation, which can bring about stress, anxiety, and burnout. In this blog, we’ll discuss the negative impacts of seeking validation for employees in the workforce and what they can do to combat it.

Validation Seeking and Its Impact

The need for validation in the workplace can stem from various factors such as job insecurity, the desire for promotions, the fear of being demoted, among others. However, seeking validation can have a negative impact on an employee’s mental health, well-being, and work performance. Here’s how:

1. Validation Seeking Can be Exhausting. When employees focus too much on seeking validation, they lose focus on other essential tasks such as building relationships, networking, and skill development. This makes them less productive at work and can even make them feel exhausted.

2. It Can Lead to Self-Doubt. When employees do not get the validation they seek, it can lead to self-doubt and lower their self-esteem, which, in turn, can affect their performance and motivation.

3. It Can Create a Culture of Competition. When employees compete with one another for validation, it can create a negative culture of competition that can lead to office politics and toxicity.

Ways to Combat Validation Seeking

Here are some practical ways employees can combat validation seeking and start enjoying their work:

1. Cultivate Self-Awareness. Employees should start by identifying why they seek validation and what are the triggers that cause this need. Cultivating self-awareness can help them take the necessary steps to reduce the need for validation.

2. Set Your Own Expectations. Instead of seeking validation from external sources, employees should set their own expectations and goals, and work towards achieving them. This will help them regain control of their work and personal lives.

3. Keep a Focus on Growth and Learning. Employees should focus on developing their skills, learning new things, and seeking feedback from their colleagues and managers. This will not only help them to grow but also get the validation they need from the right sources.

4. Celebrate Your Own Victories. Employees should learn to celebrate their own victories and accomplishments, no matter how small they may be. This will help them appreciate their own efforts and build self-confidence.

Why Should You Not Look or Need Validation?

In conclusion, validation is a psychological need that we all crave, but relying too much on it can be detrimental to our mental health, well-being, and work performance. While it’s essential to receive feedback and recognition from others, we should not rely solely on external sources to validate our worth. Instead, we should focus on cultivating self-awareness, setting our own expectations, and learning new things. By doing so, we’ll be able to overcome the negative impact of seeking validation and start enjoying our work.