I saw something in the news recently that really caught my attention. Musicians, bands and pop stars have been announcing album drops and concert dates through handwritten notes, which they then share on social media. At first, it might seem like a small thing. A nice creative touch or a bit of old-school nostalgia, perhaps.
But I think this signals something much more interesting going on. In an age of AI, automation and constant digital communication, a handwritten note feels different. It cuts through and feels personal and authentic.
The more digitised our world becomes, the more valuable authenticity is going to be.
Authenticity as a form of connection
We have talked about authenticity at work for a long time.
“Bring your whole self to work.”
“Be your real self.”
“Show up as you.”
These are phrases many of us will have heard before. But what do they actually mean in practice?
For me, authenticity is not about oversharing. It is not about being unfiltered at all times. It is not about abandoning professionalism. It is about being able to show up in a way that feels genuine.
It is using your own words. Trusting your own voice. Being able to express what you think and feel without constantly masking, performing or editing yourself to fit an expectation.
And that has a very real connection to wellbeing.
Because pretending takes energy. Constantly performing takes energy. Trying to be someone else, or trying to present a version of yourself that feels disconnected from who you really are, creates friction. Over time, that friction can become draining.
Why authenticity sits at the base of wellbeing
Good wellbeing is not just about benefits, initiatives or resources. Those things can be useful, but wellbeing also depends on whether people feel psychologically safe enough to be themselves.
Can they speak honestly?
Can they admit when they are under pressure?
Can they ask for help without worrying how it will be perceived?
Can they communicate in a way that feels natural rather than constantly overthinking it, or being guarded or performative?
When people feel they can’t be themselves at work, it becomes harder to show up, harder to connect, harder to recover and harder to sustain high-performance over time.
Our own data suggests this is becoming more important, not less. In the State of Workplace Wellbeing Report 2026, 42% of people surveyed said they struggled to build supportive relationships, up from 27% the previous year. That is a big jump, and a clear sign that connection at work is declining.
Supportive relationships are part of the foundation that helps people feel safe, resilient and able to perform at their best. And authenticity sits at the core of that foundation of good wellbeing because it is closely connected to trust, belonging and emotional safety.
The AI effect
AI is changing the way we work, write, communicate and create. There are many benefits to that, and used well, it can be incredibly helpful. But there is also a risk. When communication starts to sound and feel the same, we begin to lose some of the human texture that helps people relate to it.
Our words, our tone, our perspective, our passions, our imperfections all make us who we are. In this context, authenticity becomes a competitive advantage, because our humanness makes us stand out. But more than that, it becomes an intrinsic part of what it means to be human and how we connect.
What this means for workplace wellbeing
For leaders, managers and teams, this is worth paying attention to. People can only show up authentically when the culture around them makes that feel safe.
A workplace either makes it easier for people to be honest, human and real, or it encourages them to perform, hide and protect themselves. In a wellbeing context, that could be whether there is space for honest conversations about pressure, energy and recovery.
Wellbeing is not separate from these things. It is built through them.
And the business case is clear too. When psychological safety is high, performance improves. Employees who feel psychologically safe are 72% more motivated, and highly engaged teams deliver 23% higher profitability and 78% lower absenteeism.
These are benefits that are hard to unlock when people are operating in self-protection mode.
If people are constantly filtering themselves, protecting themselves or trying to appear fine when they are not, it becomes much harder to build the trust, connection and psychological safety that healthier, higher-performing workplaces depend on.
Reconnecting with yourself
So perhaps the challenge I ask you to think about is:
Can you reconnect with your own authenticity? Can you allow a little more personality, honesty and individuality into how you show up?
For the benefit of our personal wellbeing and betterment of the way we connect with others.
In a world that is becoming more automated, more digitised and more difficult to know what is real and what is AI, genuine human connection is going to become even more important.
Authenticity is not a trend. It is part of how we stay well, build trust and create workplaces where people can actually thrive.
Ready to build a more connected workplace?
If you want to create a workplace where people feel safe, connected and able to perform at their best, I’d love to support you. Get in touch to start the conversation.
