Kate Nicholson* has studied workplace trends and has advice for those experiencing ‘resenteeism’ — quiet quitting’s angry little sister.
Feeling unhappy and unfulfilled is not a new phenomenon in the workplace, but there’s a new word for it: Resenteeism.
It’s 2023′s twist on presenteeism (where you still turn up to work just to show willing, but you’re either not very productive or actually rather ill).
Pre-pandemic, a survey found more than 80 per cent of workers said presenteeism was a real issue in their workplace.
The term then grew in popularity during lockdown, as people began to question why they used to go into work when they were sick as it ended up reducing everyone’s productivity.
Now, three years later, there’s a new term on the block.
Resenteeism has been coined by staff management software provider, RotaCloud to describe when someone is hugely frustrated by their current situation, but is still working there.
Like presenteeism, where the habit (or sickness) spreads around the office, RotaCloud suggests resenteeism, as a mood in general, can be catching.
This sense of employee resentment could come down to a range of reasons, from job insecurity or due to a lack of new opportunities within the current role.
According to RotaCloud, it’s mainly due to the Great Resignation.
This was when the pandemic saw a huge shift in employment as workers suddenly decided to change their jobs.
Those who remained behind quickly felt overworked or undervalued, especially if organisations continued to be short-staffed.
Since then, the worsening cost-of-living crisis, and soaring mortgage debt means many workers are now too afraid to move jobs.
This trend of frustration comes after the waves of apathy seen in the explosion of ‘quiet quitting’, where you just do the bare minimum at your job.
There was also the subsequent trend in 2022 to ‘let it rot’, which originated in China.
It was described as “leaning into self-indulgence and open decay and away from life expectations that seem neither meaningful nor attainable”.
More people are questioning whether they are being truly valued in the workplace.
The seismic impact of Beyonce advising us all to “release ya job” (pictured) needs to be considered as well.
If you’re feeling the resentment though, don’t worry — these are some of the things you can do to alleviate it, according to RotaCloud.
Communicate with your manager or HR and explain your dissatisfaction.
Consider what you need from your job to make you feel happy, and discuss your career plan, work-life balance and job satisfaction with your manager.
Take care of your physical and mental health.
Keep an eye out for other opportunities.
Remember that your job can just be a job; it doesn’t have to be all-consuming.
It also falls on employers to tackle the problem.
Head of people at RotaCloud, Pam Hinds says it’s important for organisations to encourage honesty, allow workers to have adequate time off and to support them through a culture of positivity.
*Kate Nicholson is a Senior Trends Reporter at HuffPost UK. She has worked in national news since she became a qualified journalist and was previously a reporter with Express.co.uk.
This article first appeared on the HuffPost website.
