For some employees, receiving a flood of birthday messages in an office WhatsApp group feels lovely. For others, the moment they see 30 colleagues writing “Happy Birthday,” they immediately wonder: Should I reply to everyone? Should I say thank you? Should I use an emoji? Is a simple “Thanks” too cold? Do I need to respond individually? What looks like a tiny workplace interaction can create surprisingly complicated social calculations. Psychology suggests that this awkwardness may involve communication apprehension, impression management, perceived social evaluation and uncertainty about workplace norms. It does not necessarily mean someone dislikes their colleagues or hates attention.
