WLP332 Whats Going On: Everyone's More Engaged... and more Stressed!
In this episode, recorded on 3 July 2023, Maya and Pilar comment on Gallup’s recent State of the Global Workplace report. The report shows that, while employee engagement is at an all-time high, (well, since 2009), stress levels are high as well. Why is that? Our co-hosts hypothesise…
In today’s episode, Maya and Pilar cover the State of the Global Workplace 2023 report by Gallup and the Forbes article Our Changing Psychological Contract at Work, by Keith Ferrazzi.
Their conversation begins with an overview of the Gallup report, which astonishingly points to a rise in employee engagement amidst growing stress levels.
Employee engagement levels have reached their highest since 2009, with South Asia now leading in global employee engagement at 33%. This uptick in engagement is a positive sign, and it aligns with the growing trend of people reevaluating their lives and work roles in the face of recent global disruptions like the "Great Resignation."
However, while 23% of employees are "thriving" at work, this still leaves a significant majority (59%) who are disengaged or "quiet quitting," and an additional 18% are "loud quitting," or actively disengaged. Maybe one of the solutions to this is for managers and team members to better communicate to reduce disengagement and promote a healthier work environment?
Pilar introduces a concept from a book "No Hard Feelings," by Liz and Mollie, which discusses reasons why employees may lose motivation: lack of control over their work, absence of meaningful work, lack of learning opportunities, and disliking coworkers. (If you would like to hear more about the book, check out episode 57 of Management Cafe.)
Pilar suggests that individuals should take greater responsibility for their engagement, although she also knows of someone who’s been trying to get a meeting with their manager for ages, unsuccessfully…. Maya concurs, adding that remote work dynamics require both managers and employees to be more proactive in communicating dissatisfaction and disengagement. Without the physical cues present in an office setting, it becomes increasingly crucial for disengaged workers to voice their concerns before issues escalate.
Could technology bridge this communication gap? Although we may not yet have an AI tool to read and report on employee moods, existing technologies and platforms can facilitate more effective, regular communication, ultimately empowering both managers and employees to tackle disengagement issues head-on.
Going by the pull quotes in the report, the reasons for disengagement, such as lack of growth, organisational change, managerial neglect, and workplaces that offer little room for personal growth. This lack of opportunity for personal life growth is particularly poignant for one surveyed employee, who feels like their work doesn't allow time for personal pursuits like going to church, visiting family, or travelling. Work was never traditionally seen as a space that needed to accommodate such personal pursuits, so this indicates a significant shift in employee expectations post-pandemic.
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Referring to Keith Ferrazzi’s article on the psychological contract, it seems that thriving companies have stopped separating employees into 'technical' and 'non-technical' roles, leveraging talent as a critical, human resource. Pilar speculates that the high rate of disengagement or 'quiet quitting' might be most pronounced in sectors that are not knowledge-based and are therefore overlooked in the ongoing digital and flexible work revolution.
Could it be possible that some employees are nostalgic for the heightened connectivity and humaneness that defined many workplaces during the global lockdown? And could stress levels might correlate with the constant shifting between remote and office-based work in hybrid setups? The repeated transition could lead to increased stress, especially for those who have grown accustomed to the autonomy and emotional management that comes with working from home. (Check out episode 3 of Developing Leadership for more on this last point.)
The development of relationships in remote teams is complex. On the one hand, remote work can ease tensions because there's less personal interaction, which can potentially improve the working relationship. On the other hand, if there are existing issues, they might become exacerbated when working remotely.
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However, the Gallup report shows that engagement at work was more relevant to stress reduction than location (whether a team is fully remote, hybrid, or on-site). Being immersed and involved in tasks, whether at home or in the office, can help reduce stress. However, this doesn't necessarily address the root cause of the stress.
Building relationships in a remote or hybrid environment, as it requires more intentionality than in a shared office space. Therefore, not only do communication and information management need to be strategically handled, but relationship building also requires focus and attention in these new work setups. This is not happening at an organisational level. Maybe the new Microsoft's Yammer can help build relationships within organisations. That technology isn't a solution to all workplace problems, but it provides an environment that can prompt people to consider different ways of doing things.
Gallup’s report also mentions that disengaged people are happy to provide suggestions of how to improve engagement. Most suggestions for workplace improvement were related to engagement and culture, and very few of them had anything to do with the physical location of the work.
Will the integration of AI into the workplaces bring about significant changes in the future? The use of AI can create stress and anxiety for some employees, while others see potential opportunities. A culture of innovation and experimentation could help organisations leverage AI effectively.
We’d love to hear what you think about all this! And if you have any questions or any recommendations for future topics, do get in touch!
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