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It’s been a few years since the concept of quiet quitting entered our vocabulary to designate employees who do the bare minimum at work. Although this phenomenon is nothing new in itself, it is becoming more and more widespread, according to a study by the Gallup Institute.
The figures are worrying: globally, 62% of employees are not engaged at work. They don’t quit their job but they withdraw mentally from it. They simply carry out the missions indicated on their job description and they strictly follow the hours indicated on their employment contract. 15% of employees surveyed by Gallup are actively disengaged. They no longer get any pleasure from their professional life, which pushes them to want to change jobs.
The deterioration in the mental health of workers has a lot to do with it. The least engaged employees are more likely than others to experience feelings of loneliness in their daily lives. 31% of actively disengaged workers report feeling lonely, compared to 17% of those engaged at work. Many full-time teleworkers suffer from social isolation (25%), as do those under 35 (22%).
An “epidemic of loneliness”, to use the words of Vivek Murthy, the chief medical officer of the United States, which has serious medical consequences. Indeed, numerous studies establish a link between loneliness and deterioration of health. One of thempublished in 2015 in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, states that this heavy feeling increases the risk of premature death by 26%.
A problem that costs $8.9 billion
Fortunately, work is a cure for loneliness. Generally, working adults are less likely to experience loneliness (20%) than those who are unemployed (32%). But they still need to flourish in their jobs.
As the Gallup Institute researchers point out in their study, “not all mental health problems are work-related, but work plays a role in how people evaluate their daily lives and emotions.” He added: “Employees who don’t enjoy their jobs tend to have high levels of daily stress and worry, as well as high levels of all other negative emotions.”
More than ever, employers should strive to ensure the quality of life of their employees and encourage their desire to get involved at work. But they must not delegate this mission to human resources alone. Commitment is nourished by a multitude of elements, including the management style in place. The Gallup study shows that when managers are engaged at work, other employees are more likely to be engaged as well.
Companies therefore have an interest in developing daily practices that promote the well-being of all their employees, including managers, in the professional environment. Because employee engagement is a key factor in productivity. Unengaged and actively disengaged employees contribute to an estimated $8.9 trillion in lost productivity, according to Gallup. A considerable sum which is equivalent to 9% of global GDP.
*The latest edition of the “State of the Global Workplace” report by Gallup was surveyed by 128,278 employees from more than 140 countries.
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