The term "containment" is often used in workplace settings to describe environments that provide emotional and psychological support. However, its deeper meaning is frequently misunderstood. Drawing on Wilfred Bion’s psychoanalytic theory, containment refers to a psychic process where one person or group takes in and transforms the anxieties or difficult emotions of another. This is distinct from Winnicott’s concept of “holding,” which focuses on creating a sense of safety and security.
While containment can be helpful, it’s not always effective.
While containment can provide emotional support, ineffective containment can contribute to workplace dysfunction. Understanding how different types of containment manifest in the workplace is essential to improving organisational dynamics. Bion’s framework identifies three types of containment: symbiotic, parasitic, and commensal, each with distinct impacts on team and leadership dynamics.
Symbiotic Containment
Symbiotic containment occurs where both the container and the contained become overly dependent on one another. This can lead to a cycle of co-dependence, where emotional needs are managed reactively rather than proactively, stifling growth and resilience within the team.
A visual metaphor for this type of containment could be found in images of hazard containment, such as spill management or safety barriers. In these cases, the containment is designed to prevent damage rather than nurture growth. Similarly, in a workplace context, symbiotic containment might manifest as a leader or team being overly protective or restrictive, limiting the ability to engage with challenges and preventing individuals from developing their resilience or emotional processing skills.
For instance, a leader who over-manages team anxieties by solving every problem without involving the team in the solution process creates an environment of dependence rather than one of growth. Employees may feel safe in the short term, but they may become less capable of navigating challenges independently, perpetuating a cycle of reliance.
Symbiotic containment may feel comfortable, but it stifles development, leaving teams ill-equipped to handle future uncertainties.
Parasitic Containment
Parasitic containment occurs when the containment process becomes exploitative or one-sided, draining energy and resources without offering any meaningful benefit in return. In this scenario, the container may take from the contained, drawing on their emotional or intellectual resources while providing little or no support in return. It is an unequal dynamic, where one party benefits at the expense of the other.
A visual metaphor for parasitic containment could be an image of a parasite feeding off its host - like a tick attached to an animal, drawing blood without offering any reciprocal benefit. This metaphor can be applied to workplace environments where leaders or teams depend on individuals' emotional labour, creativity, or problem-solving without offering adequate support, recognition, or development opportunities in return.
In a parasitic containment situation, employees may find themselves constantly drained by the demands of their roles or by leaders who rely on their ideas, emotional resilience, or personal sacrifice without providing the space or support for growth. The employees may feel exploited, drained of emotional energy, and mentally exhausted from constant demands..
Parasitic containment can foster feelings of resentment, disengagement, and burnout, which in turn harms the overall health of the organisation.
Commensal Containment
Commensal containment is a far more balanced and mutually supportive dynamic. It occurs where each parties benefits without harming the other, creating an environment where both the container and the contained are able to coexist in a way that nurtures growth without being exploitative or overly dependent.
A fitting visual metaphor for commensal containment could be a bird perched on a tree branch. The bird benefits from the perch, gaining a safe space to rest or observe the surroundings, while the tree remains unharmed. The bird’s presence does not drain the tree’s energy but instead coexists with it in a supportive yet independent way. Similarly, in the workplace, commensal containment occurs when leadership and the organisational structure provides a supportive environment, allowing individuals or teams to benefit from emotional safety and space to process challenges without stifling their autonomy or growth.
In this context, commensal containment allows individuals to feel supported, but not overly dependent. The environment enables both leaders and team members to share their concerns, process difficult emotions, and develop resilience, while still maintaining their independence and capacity to grow.
Commensal containment empowers members to thrive independently, knowing they have the support they need when challenges arise.
Cultivating Healthier Containment Practices
Creating a healthier containment environment requires awareness and intentionality in addressing the patterns within your workplace. Here are some actionable steps to cultivate commensal containment and break free from parasitic or symbiotic traps:
1. Reflect on Containment Dynamics
Who benefits from containment in your workplace?
Are anxieties or challenges being transformed, or are they simply being passed along or avoided?
What behaviours are influencing these dynamics?
2. Develop Resilience
Encourage both leaders and team members to reflect on how they manage their own emotions and uncertainties before engaging with others.
Provide emotional intelligence training to help leaders and teams to work constructively with difficult emotions.
3. Create Reflective Spaces
Introduce regular opportunities for teams to discuss challenges openly, such as facilitated group discussions or reflective practice sessions.
Ensure these spaces are psychologically safe, where employees can share without fear of judgement or reprisal.
4. Address Organisational Factors
Ineffective containment often points to deeper structural issues, such as unclear roles, toxic culture, or insufficient resources.
Work to address systemic challenges rather than relying on individuals to absorb the strain.
Growing Better Workplaces
By understanding containment as a dynamic process, organisations can move beyond superficial fixes. Leaders who embrace commensal containment - offering support while enabling growth—can create workplaces where individuals thrive, teams collaborate effectively, and challenges are tackled constructively.
If you're ready to transform workplace dynamics and create a more effective, supportive environment, contact me today. With expertise in leadership and organisational dynamics, I can help your organisation identify and address unhelpful containment patterns, unlocking new possibilities for growth.
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