How Personal Should You Get at Work?

In the digital age, excessive sharing of personal information is common. The principles that apply to a private Facebook account don't necessarily translate to the workplace, however—a fact that many younger employees forget. As you strive to cultivate a professional yet approachable reputation, it is crucial to strike a balance between discretion and sharing.

The sharing of personal information in the workplace runs the gamut from discussing family problems to griping about a particularly bad hangover. In many cases, the key to determining what to disclose and what to keep private comes down to your audience. Before you reveal details, consider how much you trust the listener. A close friend at work is unlikely to sell you out to a supervisor or gossip about you to other colleagues; someone you don't know well may not have the same workplace discretion. When you are sharing details about your personal life, think carefully about your relationships with each person. If there is even the slightest chance that the information could come back to haunt you, keep it to yourself.

Many professionals run into problems when it comes to sharing personal information about major health issues. If you need time off from work, you'll need to disclose your diagnosis to the human resources department and your immediate supervisor, according to MSN Living. As for the rest of the office, it may be best to keep quiet, at least in the beginning. In doing so, you'll avoid being labeled as the "sick person" and ensure that your colleagues continue to see you as capable. If the condition worsens or you are no longer able to handle one or more job duties, you may need to let more people in on the secret.

In many offices, employees share a considerable amount of personal information, from dating woes to low-level family issues. Even if all of your colleagues are getting into their deepest issues, it is still advisable to exercise workplace discretion. Before revealing the issues in your personal life, consider how they could affect your career. If you consistently talk about your wild social life, you may get a reputation as a flighty partier rather than a serious professional. Consider also your role in the company; if you are in a supervisory position, talking about tough times in your life or personal weaknesses can undermine your authority. When sharing any type of personal information, disclose just enough to help build relationships in the office but not so much that you ruin your professional reputation.

Sharing personal information at work can be extremely valuable; it humanizes you and helps you bond with colleagues. When you tread carefully and avoid over-sharing, you can create the ideal balance of personal friendship and professional respect.

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