Resenteeism: a third phase of mass employee disengagement

Things don’t stay the same for long. We also like to give everything that sounds like a trend a catchy name to grab headlines. It started with the slow work movement, a TikTok trend that encouraged Gen Z to work within themselves. This evolved into ‘quiet quitting’ – a term coined in 2022 that sent shivers down the spines of boardrooms everywhere – which involves doing the bare minimum at work. Fast forward two more years and here we go again. There is a new kid in town that wants to do even less. So, without further ado, lets delve deeper into resenteeism and a third phase of mass employee disengagement .

Resenteeism

Resenteeism is a portmanteau of resentment and absenteeism. It means an employee working in a job they resent because they cannot find a better job or believe they cannot. This evolution of quiet quitting combines doing the bare minimum, a state that exemplifies employee disengagement, while harbouring resentment about it. Resenteeism is a phenomenon that largely affects Generation Z (or Gen Z), born between 1997 and 2012. This group could be as mature as 27 years old at the time of writing and are likely managed by Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) or Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980).

Gen Z has some interesting traits, most notably growing up following the launch of the Apple iPhone in 2007 and experiencing the depression (aka the ‘credit crisis’/’credit crunch’) of 2007-2009. Of this group, around half claim to be ‘coasting’ or on autopilot at work and the majority feel trapped. They are also the least likely to say that they find fulfilment in their work or have autonomy in their position of all the generations. In summary, this group turn up for the money and a growing number resent the role they are occupying. The outcome is a resenteeism group who turn up for work but are neither present nor engaged. They feel powerless and disillusioned at the work and will take sick leave more easily than others . There are varying reasons for this, which we will explore further.

Reasons for resenteeism

There are a number of reasons for growing workplace resentment and absenteeism for the younger generation.

Little career progression

Nothing saps motivation and enthusiasm more than knowing that you are stuck in a job. First of all, there is the vertical progression of promotion, increased responsibility and authority (hopefully, with commensurate remuneration). As the ranks above Gen Z are stuffed with Millennials and Gen X (the oldest of which could be 59 at the time of writing), there seems less scope for advancement. Additionally, Gen Z face the highest housing costs of any generation, trapping many in the rental market. This could lead to growing resentment at the excruciating rent payments with a low salary in junior roles, all without owning your own home. Finally, there is the horizontal or sideways progression, moving into other organisations. Given the ongoing turbulence in the economy (Brexit gt; COVID-19 gt; Ukraine War/Energy Crisis gt; Change of Government etc), there is less hiring. There is also the lack of a British industrial strategy, leading to gaps in future employment creation. When coupled with disparate opportunities across the UK regions, many Gen Z are entitled to feel trapped in roles they would rather leave behind.

Poor employee experience

Strangely, despite repeated warnings about the slow work movement, quiet quitting, hiring difficulties and progress on DEI, employee experience (EX) seems to be going in reverse or stagnant. Add to that a fear of jobs being replaced by AI, by some estimates 2 in 3 workers, and over 75% say that AI has increased their work and added complexity without the claimed productivity gains. Also add to that the increasing dictate of CEOs who mandate returns to offices, interrupting family schedules, disrupting lifestyle routines and increasing expenses. According to CIPD, fewer people feel inspired by their work or by the wider organisational purpose in 2024. There is also a continuing trend of more people viewing work as transactional – simply for money – at 47% compared to 36% before the pandemic. It is also particularly skewed towards men, those under 35 years of age, lower socioeconomic groups and minority populations at more than 50% in each of those groups.

Low investment in management

Not all employees have confidence in their direct line managers or in senior leaders. Additionally, around 2 in 5 reported having little to no autonomy in their jobs with homeworkers reporting substantially greater autonomy. Homeworkers, in general, have more senior and less customer-facing roles. Unfortunately, 1 in 4 workers also experiences conflict at work, most of whom believe they will not be listened to by leaders. This has reduced because of homeworking (as there is less interaction with colleagues) and may be set to increase. Furthermore, only 43% are inspired by the organisation’s purpose, which is a clear warning sign. Similarly, only 2 in 5 feel inspired in their job. Workplaces that focus on management best practices, training, coaching, work-life balance and engagement display high engagement in 3 out of 4 managers and 7 out of 10 subordinates. Need we say more?

Solving resenteeism

If you have continued reading up to this point, that is a tick in the box for you. Chances are that you would not have stayed this long if you did not care about employee engagement. So, what is the solution? The answer is that there is no easy answer. Many workplace norms, structures, policies and people remain stubbornly fixed in place. Workplace culture in the UK remains largely toxic and the maximisation of profit remains the central goal for many Baby Boomers and Gen X. This is evidenced by forcing people back into offices, rounds of redundancies, introducing AI tools and outsourcing tasks. Many of these will increase resentment due to ‘dead’ commuting time, higher expenses, greater risk of conflict and exposure to bad management. Similarly, when budgets remain stretched in organisations besieged by pay demands over the last two years, there is little appetite to invest in the employee experience. Listening to honest employee feedback is a good start. Investing in highly-engaged managers is another. Getting through to Gen Z and inspiring them, giving them hope and autonomy, will take time.

Conclusion

So, where does that leave us? In conclusion, faced with the factors above, it leaves Gen Z with two simple options. Option 1 is to switch on the autopilot, connect the headphones and try to shut out the world. When things get too much or motivation is at a low-ebb, call or message in that you feel unwell and will be back in a few days. Option 2 is to approach your line manager about the lack of interaction, coaching, training, progression and autonomy. This assumes that management has the aptitude, authority and fortitude to ask for, push for and enact some change. Unfortunately (for both sides), an employee who is stuck in your organisation is unlikely a high performer. Some of these may not be Gen Z, depending on other factors. The solution is to work on it, rather than avoid hiring Gen Z, monitoring and micro-managing them or reinforcing the glass ceiling above them.

Thinking beyond the old ways

Here at Think Beyond, we can support your change agenda to help create good jobs and engaged employees. We offer research services to analyse and understand the employee experience. We also offer planning services to embed people initiatives into your strategic goals and plans. Finally, we offer change agent support, productivity improvement and cultural shift frameworks to make a better workplace.

So, if you would like to make good jobs, engaged employees and better managers, we have the tools and an unwavering belief in a mutually beneficial employee experience. Find out more by calling our offices , sending us a short email message or requesting contact via our website .

Finally, why not read our previous article on why people quiet quit and how to fight falling employee engagement .