The Village Syndrome

The term “village syndrome” defines a need for employees to tribalize in the work environment. Employees enter a work environment and make friends, establish enemies and create an environment in which they begin to share life together within the work environment. Not all employees are accepted in the village and not all employees choose to be part of the village.
Understanding “village syndrome” is important since most adults spend 8 hours or more throughout the day at work. These relationships can define a person professionally and personally. Establishing a village can also hurt an employee’s chance of growth within a company.
The pros to adapting to the village environment:

• Bonding with peers and colleges
• Sharing ideas with the group
• Building relationships outside of work
• Understanding the group work environment
• Sharing opportunities for growth within the company

The cons for adapting to the village environment:

• Complacent and not motivated to change personally or professionally
• Resistant to management
• Labeled within the negative aspects of the village by management, therefore unable to be given opportunities.
• Unable to receive the positive benefits of the company environment.
• Fear of being displaced from the village

Of course, it is one’s own choice to socialize in a manner that can be positive or negative. However, some may not know when the work environment is negative for their personal and professional development. The employees who are typically leaders in the work life villages are those who have significant tenure within a company, or those who are no longer happy with the company. The employees have allowed complacency to have a negative impact on the lives both at work and possibly at home.
Having a work life balance is important. In addition, creating a positive circle of peers both at work and at home can make the difference between personal success and employment frustration. Employees must walk a thin line between being a team player and developing a village syndrome lifestyle which in most cases set employees up for failure. Even though building relationships is an important part of socialization, personal relationships that are built at work can be positive or negative.
It is true, work relationships can lead to strong positive personal relationships that last for years. This is because typically an adult only socializes at work. Recognizing the pros and cons of village syndrome is paramount to a healthy lifestyle both at work and at home. 

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