The Authenticity Dilemma: Balancing Boundaries and Being Real
This quarter, I’m committing to delivering a three blog series on authenticity in work and life.
I feel this is a topic of increasing salience at work: as technology continues to integrate into our daily tasks, being authentically human will become a defining factor that sets us apart. Our human interface may become the only ‘edge’ we have on AI competitors.
Authenticity at work is a highly prized concept, but it often feels paradoxical. Take the idea of “bringing your whole self to work.” While it sounds appealing, it’s hard to reconcile with the reality of being mission-driven in a professional setting. Sure, there might be occasional overlap between personal identity or personal passions and work, but for the most part, work is about meeting objectives and fulfilling responsibilities. Increasingly, organisations are recognising this paradox and encouraging employees to maintain clear boundaries.
The Importance of Boundaries
Boundaries don’t just benefit organisations; they are also protective for employees. Working in hospital medicine during the covid-19 pandemic, I found one of the simplest yet most effective boundaries was changing out of scrubs at the end of a shift. Initially driven by infection control, this practice also became a mental reset—a way to leave behind the physical and emotional toll of the workday before heading home. This kind of separation is vital. Without boundaries, the lines between professional and personal life blur, making it harder to decompress and maintain our physical and mental health.
Balancing Humanity and Professionalism
At the same time, we mustn’t forget that we are human, whatever our roles. Our lives outside of work inevitably influence our performance, just as workplace dynamics affect us. Personal challenges, whether a difficult week at home or a health issue, can impact our ability to function at full capacity. Similarly, workplace stressors—like a breakdown in relationships between colleagues or clients—can take a toll on our mental health and engagement in all domains.
Service users, colleagues and clients can forget we are human too. It’s a sobering reality that many workplaces feel the need to remind people to treat staff with respect. I frequently encounter public facing messaging to treat staff members with kindness rather than verbal or physical abuse. These reminders highlight the reality of workers who are increasingly dehumanised. An average of 200 incidents of work-related violence against staff each week are reported on The Transport for London network. In the NHS staff survey, over 25% of respondents experienced at least one incident of harassment, bullying or abuse from service users, their relatives or other members of the public in the preceding 12 months.
Lara’s take
As technology plays an increasing role in our work, maintaining authenticity will be even more important to human connection. This doesn’t have to mean dismantling professional boundaries where they serve a purpose. Instead, it’s about recognising, empowering and respecting the humanity in ourselves and others. Ultimately, authenticity isn’t just about “bringing your whole self to work.” It’s about showing up as a human—capable, fallible, and deserving of humanity in return.
