TikTok's viral conspiracy theory claims that good people don't get promoted, but experts refute this claim.

Is being nice holding you back at work?

A popular TikTok video has sparked controversy among young workers regarding the dangers of being polite in the workplace.

A TikTok user named Jacqueline recently posted a video claiming that people who are "pleasure to work with" will "never get promoted."

The video has garnered 8 million views and 900,000 likes after striking a nerve.

Jacqueline claims in the video that executives will never promote an employee who excels at both performing their job duties and maintaining a cheerful demeanor while doing so, as they recognize that such individuals can continue to provide subpar service while maintaining a satisfied customer base.

She stated: "Being promoted out of a hardworking junior position where a lot of the work is done does not require being a pleasure to work with or skilled at your job if you are in an executive suite."

Commenters on TikTok largely agreed with Jacqueline's theory, which she called "performance punishment," where dependable and efficient workers are given more tasks as a result.

Despite the common belief that being a jerk leads to success, research shows otherwise.

According to a 2020 study by Cameron Anderson, a professor of organizational behavior at the Haas School of Business at University of California, Berkeley, there is no difference in workplace progress between individuals with disagreeable and agreeable personalities.

The research examined the career outcomes of college students and graduates who took a personality test 14 years ago.

Individuals who were dominant and assertive were able to gain power in their careers, but their selfishness and lack of communal traits made them viewed negatively by coworkers.

How to get ahead

According to Andrew Brodsky, a management professor at the University of Texas at the McCombs School of Business, being pleasant at work can bring certain benefits, particularly if you can simplify your colleagues' lives.

According to Brodsky, being other-oriented and assisting others can increase trust, granting access to valuable resources such as exclusive information within the organization.

"Gaining status can also be achieved by being perceived as helpful and valuable to others, who often reward those they deem deserving. The benefits of being other-oriented, such as being liked and appreciated, are numerous," he stated.

The study by researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the University of Iowa, and Purdue University examined the effects of prosocial motivation in the workplace, specifically focusing on individuals who enjoy assisting others.

Studies show that workers with high levels of prosocial motivations experience greater wellbeing, career advancement, and job performance.

Ryan Vogel, an associate professor at the Fox School of Business and Management at Temple University, stated that the common belief that most CEOs are narcissists is not always accurate.

According to Vogel, people who help others and are open to reciprocating good things are more successful in their careers because people want to be associated with such individuals.

"Narcissists can deceive people temporarily, but eventually their deception is exposed," he stated. "While there are many narcissistic CEOs, there are also many CEOs who are not narcissistic. Not all narcissists achieve success or become CEOs."

However, there are some caveats to being too nice.

'Pleasant people don't bend over backwards'

According to Vogel, in Jacqueline's TikTok video, she mistakenly equates having a friendly demeanor with being a pushover.

"Vogel stated that a pushover would be like anchoring the far end of the scales of high agreeableness. He explained that pleasant people don't bend over backwards and aren't necessarily people pleasers, but they treat people civilly."

Brodsky concurs with this perspective and asserts that excessive "other-orientation" can sometimes hinder one's ability to prioritize their own self-interests.

"If that occurs, you may not prioritize your own interests as much as you should, which can be crucial in certain situations."

According to Brodsky, the video's popularity on social media can be attributed to the fact that people's expectations of corporate loyalty have been violated in recent years, causing workers to become more critical of leaders.

According to Brodsky, the work relationship has evolved significantly over the past few decades. In contrast to the past, when employees would spend 40 years at an organization and receive a gold watch upon retirement, there is now little corporate loyalty. This is particularly evident during the current period of layoffs.

"If organizations fail to be loyal to their employees, it's likely that employees will reciprocate by being less loyal to their organizations."