In recent years, the conversation on work has shifted towards finding a balance, a perspective partly driven by the pandemic and a wider focus on well-being and mental health. But has the focus shifted too far? With trends like quiet quitting and lazy girl jobs hitting the headlines, is it still acceptable to love to work?
Whilst the headlines and terminology signal a dip in performance and productivity, stoking fears that employees are slacking off, employers should view these trends with a pinch of salt. What is positioned as ‘quiet quitting’ could be a response to burnout or a detrimental work environment.
Love is a two-way street. The costs of negative work cultures play out in absence, turnover and disengagement. Employers must work to understand what employees want from work and what support is needed so they can perform at their best. Equally, employees are committing to investing time and effort into a business and have an obligation to fulfil their side of the contract.
Employee engagement is broadly divided into five camps, but these groups aren’t completely static. Employer policies and work culture play a major role in how their employees view their employment.
They feel called to their work, enjoy it, see value in what they do, and can’t understand why everyone doesn’t work as hard as they do.
They want to climb the ladder, make more money, and they can see where they can add value.
They are happy clocking in and out, doing their best, but not aiming higher. They can see how their work adds value, but they work to live.
They’re unsatisfied with their work. They don’t feel they have the right opportunities or are in the right role, so their effort level is low. They may be detached or unable to see the impact of their work.
They are unhappy at work. They see no future or value in their role. They may actively undermine projects and can be a drag on morale and productivity.
The evidence suggests that cut-throat environments drag down productivity, while positive cultures have dramatic benefits on the bottom line. Pursuing a holistic engagement policy that helps employees see value in their work alongside the right incentives and benefits can help move employees up the chain, although it’s worth remembering that everyone views work differently!
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