After the Great Resignation saw over 70 million people quit their jobs between April 2021 and April 2022, the remaining employees were left to deal with the aftermath. Those who stayed in their positions would have to take on more responsibilities, leading to overworking, burnout, and eventually the viral TikTok trend known as quiet quitting. By now, many HR leaders are familiar with the term and the signs that employees are only looking to do the bare minimum that will keep them from being laid off. However, a practice known as resenteeism is replacing quiet quitting as the newest labor trend, and HR leaders should become familiar with the concept sooner rather than later.
Resenteeism is a similar idea to quiet quitting, except it is anything but quiet. When employees are partaking in resenteeism, it’s because they not only resent their job or workplace but also make this fact known, or they at least don’t try to hide it. These employees may seem less enthusiastic about work, and they may even be openly frustrated about their duties. The term is somewhat of a play on presenteeism, which is when employees are present at work but are not fully engaged, resulting in low productivity levels. While resenteeism can lead to decreased productivity, it can also damage workplace culture.
When one employee is clearly resentful toward their job, that energy can affect other team members. In companies where collaboration is an important responsibility, employees may be less open to working with a colleague who is so openly frustrated with their tasks. Projects that require collaboration can even be of low quality due to the difficulties employees will face when attempting to cooperate with a colleague who consistently has a negative work attitude. Even just one resentful employee can damage the team’s morale, but multiple workers engaging in resenteeism can create a toxic work culture. Employees who feel surrounded by coworkers who make it clear they are upset with their jobs can become less comfortable at work and experience demotivation, but the issues don’t end there. Besides low engagement and productivity, toxic work cultures are known to lead to increased employee turnover. An unchecked toxic culture can easily drive away valuable talent, so the company will have to use extra funds and resources on recruiting efforts, which will become a never-ending cycle of employee churn if HR leaders don’t address the culture and rising resentment properly.
To successfully reduce its impact, HR leaders must understand that resenteeism is the result of employees not feeling valued in their roles and overall feeling unhappy with their positions. Combating this negativity requires ensuring that employees feel heard, appreciated, and supported in their jobs. Leaders can hold one-on-ones with employees and allow them the space to share their frustrations without the risk of repercussions. By discussing the matter, leaders can discover what the employee needs to succeed and then create a personalized improvement or wellness plan. HR leaders can also support internal mobility by offering professional training for workers to learn and develop new skills. Employees who are unfulfilled in their jobs can be encouraged to try something new and use these new skills to possibly gain another position in the company that they feel aligned with, even if it’s a lateral move.
Even though the Great Resignation has ended, its effects on employee well-being and behavior still linger. With resenteeism trending amongst workers, HR leaders must remain vigilant when retaining a healthy culture in the workplace. Employees who share their grievances and get involved with employee development programs will have a better opportunity to feel more fulfilled at work, and both team morale and the overall company culture will be better for it.
