Resenteeism on Channel 9 Today Extra
Date: 5 October 2023 10:47am
Media: Channel 9’s Today Extra Show, National Australian Television
Story: Toxic Workplaces
Hosts: David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys
Guest: Sue Ellson
Video Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT1KI7wEaHE
Time: 00:03:23
On Thursday 5 October 2023, I appeared on Channel 9’s Today Extra show to talk about Resenteeism, a catchy title career trend that has gained some recent media coverage.
David Campbell, Sylvia Jeffreys and Sue Ellson on the topic of Resenteeism on Channel 9’s Today Extra
Transcript
A new workplace trend taking over offices called Resenteeism
This is when workers are so unhappy they start to resent their job their boss and ultimately their job choices
So career expert Sue Ellson joins us with more now from Melbourne
Good morning to you Sue What’s causing so many people to feel resentful at work these days?
Yes well being resentful is about being angry about something you don’t like at work and with resenteeism what people are actually doing is speaking up and saying something about it so we can still understand that everybody is concerned with the cost of living and job security so although the unemployment rate is only 3.7% the actual underemployment rate is 6.4% so that has people anxious about their job security and a lot of people I talk to don’t feel as if they’re being valued and appreciated and one of the best management techniques out there is just simply saying thank you on a regular basis
So it’s pretty similar to another trend quite quitting where employees just put in a minimum effort so why are so many people losing their motivation at work?
Well there’s been a seismic shift in the way we’ve been working over the last three years so we’re now seeing the long-term effects of remote working and doing much more things electronically so people at the onsite location often have to pick up a lot of the extra slack finding out that the leading cause of death in Australia is or one of the third leading causes is COVID still makes people a little bit anxious and then when these catchy title career trends come out people start thinking well the word gets around basically
So if you’ve hit the wall then with your level of resentment at work what should you do about it?
Well you really need to look after yourself now the Beyond Blue website has an excellent section on their website about mental health and well-being at work so it’s definitely worth having a look at some of the strategies that are available there you need to keep your perspective and hopefully try and calmly have a conversation with the people at work looking for the things that you’re actually going well not just the things that are going poorly and really making sure that you look for the solutions that might be available
You know this sounds like it could be quite contagious though to other employees if you’re an employer and you’re noticing this is happening how can you sort of stave this off?
Well an employer’s responsibility is to create a safe and respectful workplace so if you have an environment where people can bring these concerns to you whether it’s resentment or something else they can discuss it respond resolve very very quickly that’s going to make a big difference so keeping those lines of communication open and nipping these things in the bud is really important
Okay but finally when do you know that it’s time to just quit and move on?
Well I’m always an advocate for trying to resolve things on the spot and if but if you can’t you’ve tried everything you’ve got all the help you can possibly get you’ve had a calm conversation face to face you’ve worked out you know where things are and whether it’s going to work for you or not you may have to implement your plan B
Don’t forget the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the fence it’s green where you water it and the sun shines uh but if you do need to leave try and go positively look at this challenge as a prompt to take action sometimes this is what it takes for people to make that bold move develop their job search skills and go for what they really want
Ah Sue you’ve done it again great to have your advice thanks so much mate
Thanks Sue when we return
Background
Q1. Sue, what’s causing so many of us to get resentful?
Being resentful is about feeling angry about having to accept something you don’t like and with resenteeism, you actually express that anger in the workplace.
I believe workers could be feeling trapped trying to cope with the rising cost of living and they could also be concerned about their job security, especially if they haven’t had to find a new job for a while
A lot of people tell me that they don’t feel valued or appreciated and yet one of the most valuable management techniques around is saying thank you on a regular basis.
- perceived lack of better options
- fear of job insecurity
- not feeling valued or appreciated
- less subtle form of presenteeism
Q2. This is pretty similar to another trend, ‘quiet quitting’, where employees only put in minimum effort – why are so many people losing motivation at work?
We have had a seismic shift in the way we work over the last three years and we are now starting to see the effects of working remotely on a longer term basis.
On site people often carry an additional load and that is not always acknowledged.
There is still a lot of general economic uncertainty and to hear from the ABS that COVID is now the third largest cause of death in Australia is a stark reminder that we are not quite out of the woods just yet.
If you add in these catchy title career trends that are being shared online and a lot of people seeing them, motivation can easily be lost, especially by those that are re-evaluating their priorities.
- long term remote work
- general economic uncertainty
- negative biases shared online
- reevaluation of priorities
Q3. What should employees suffering from resenteeism do about it?
- Communicate your concerns
- Identify potential solutions
- Take care of yourself
- Look for other opportunities
- Keep perspective
Firstly, I would suggest that if you are feeling resentful that you tap into resources that can support your own wellbeing and the Beyond Blue website has a great section on mental health at work that has some excellent strategies you can use.
Once you understand a little bit more about it, you could share your concerns calmly with your manager and try and identify potential solutions. You may be able to find some things you like at work and discuss other items that could be improved.
You may wish to have a look at other jobs that are available elsewhere but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence – the grass is usually green where it receives sun and water.
Q4. How can this rub off on other employees?
- decrease productivity
- create more conflict
- spread resentment
- reduce motivation
Unfortunately, if someone is being very vocal about their disappointment and more people hear about it, it can create more conflict and reduce productivity and motivation.
Ideally, managers need to create a safe and respectful workplace so that any issues can be discussed and dealt with quickly before they escalate into resentment.
Q5. So, how can you tell when it’s just time to quit?
- can’t resolve concerns
- be prepared for what’s next – plan B
- look for the lessons
- done your best
I always believe in trying to resolve things first, but it is also good to be prepared for whatever might happen and have a plan B in place if issues cannot be resolved, whether that is related to resentment or something else.
Even in the midst of a challenge, you can still look for what you can learn from the challenge. Communicating face to face and in person with an open mind can help. If you have really done your best, got some extra help and used additional professional resources and still can’t find a solution, then it might be time to plan your exit.
Ultimately, a challenge can often help us to re-evaluate what is important and take action, so it could be a blessing, especially when you look back on it in a few years time!
Research
References
Resenteeism – latest trend plaguing workers
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/resenteeism-latest-trend-plaguing-workers-204703707.html
Why workers are experiencing resenteeism
https://www.fastcompany.com/90884456/why-workers-are-experiencing-resenteeism-and-how-leaders-can-tackle-it
Employment and Underemployment Statistics
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/latest-release
Underemployed Workers Statistics
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/underemployed-workers/latest-release
Beyond Blue Mental Health at Work
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/mental-health/work
Shared Online
RESENTEEISM // Are you feeling angry about something you don’t agree with at work and are you voicing your concerns in the workplace? Is your workplace safe and respectful so that issues can be discussed, responded to and resolved? Is someone else in the office voicing their concerns and making others feel uncomfortable?
I discuss these issues in this short segment on Channel Nine’s Today Extra with David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys, expertly produced by Mia Rakhit.
The Beyond Blue website has a great section on Mental Health in the Workplace that I encourage you to review.
All details and resources links at https://sueellson.com/blog/resenteeism-on-channel-9-today-extra/
#resenteeism #careers #sueellson
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