What to do About Complacency in the Workplace

Workplace complacency occurs when employees feel unfulfilled by an unchanged work routine. Employers can reduce complacency by giving employees growth opportunities and allowing them to develop more skills. Employees feeling complacent should seek new opportunities or mentorships in their companies.

By Lora Korpar

If you feel bored, unfulfilled, or on autopilot at work, you are probably struggling with workplace complacency.

TeamBuilding.com defines workplace complacency as “a psychological state when employees tune out, cease to think, and merely follow a routine.”

Complacency can lead to low morale in the workplace. It can also be dangerous. According to SafeStart, complacency is “one of the most common culprits of injuries at OSHA-compliant companies” because employees who are not mindful of their actions are more injury-prone.

Combating workplace complacency requires addressing personal and company-wide issues and finding growth opportunities.

What Are the Causes and Warning Signs of Workplace Complacency?

Routine is not bad, but work looking the same can cause complacency.

“You're not changing your routine. You're not developing any skills. You're just going day-to-day doing the same thing,” said restorative career strategist Michelle Matthews. “If your days look the same every day of the year, nine times out of 10 you have gotten complacent and it would be a good idea at that point to explore some other options.”

Leadership coach Beth Benatti Kennedy added that manager burnout can lead to employee complacency.

“They're exhausted, so they don't have the time and energy for their employees,” Kennedy said. “And I think right now with working virtual, it's really important for managers to be checking in with their employees and asking ‘What's going well? What do they need help with? What are their challenges on a weekly basis?’ I would say the number one issue of my clients that are complacent or just not working at their potential is their managers haven't recharged, refreshed, or reset.”

Complacency usually indicates stagnation at work. Employees feel unfulfilled by their work when they don’t believe there will be any growth or change.

TeamBuilding.com says complacency can manifest in behaviors like taking shortcuts, making excuses and staying silent.

“With employees that are becoming complacent, you start to notice that they might be taking more days off, they're finishing up work a little bit early,” Kennedy said. “They're not having the impact and results they used to have.”?

“[The complacent employees] are often not aware of any succession plans for their position and are not able to have that conversation with a manager to help them figure out what the next five to 10 years look like in their career path,” Matthews said. “And I believe once they're unclear about what's next, what's already in place just looks much better, and then they just get ‘stuck’ in those positions.”

How Leaders Can Help Reduce Workplace Complacency

Matthews said change starts “from the top down,” so managers and supervisors must make efforts to reduce complacency. Good leaders will recognize when the workplace feels too stagnant and offer ways to change the environment.

“Showcasing the different opportunities available to professionals is a great thing to do,” Matthews said. “A lot of professionals aren't aware of the different development opportunities that their HR department offers them. So getting in contact with HR as a leader and understanding what is there for your staff, then relaying the message to them is a great opportunity to open the door for the possibilities of growth in your staff.”

Strong leaders allow employees to showcase their strengths and gain more knowledge. Lean into employees’ interests.

“We all know how important it is to have these career conversations with your employees to make sure they're using their strengths,” Kennedy said. “So it doesn't mean that this job has to be perfect, but it means that the more we get people into that sweet spot of enjoying what they're doing, you see productivity increase and engagement increase.”

Meet often with employees and maintain an open-door policy so they can come to you with requests to alter their work routines. Maybe the employee wants to learn a new workplace skill, which will also benefit you.

“They can shadow someone else, they can learn a new report —? just do something that switches the tune of things so they can start being curious about what else there is in the organization,” Matthews said.

Introduce small changes to the routine slowly. Do not overwhelm employees with too many new changes because that will create new problems at work.

“Making sure you actually understand what it is that you're doing and how all of the parts work together is a good rule of thumb before you move on to something new,” Matthews said. “We’re in a microwave society. Everything we want to know is right at our fingertips, so we think we've learned one thing, then we're ready to move on to another. But the best thing to do is to try to obtain some sort of mastery within the skill rather than moving from thing to thing.”

How Employees Can Feel Less Complacent at Work

Curing workplace complacency also requires employee self-reflection. Ask yourself why you have reached the point of feeling complacent. What brought you here?

“Being able to ask yourself tough questions like, ‘Are you growing and developing? Are you fulfilled in the role that you are in?’ is the best way to set the tone for you to be able to understand whether you are acting from a place of complacency or if you just need to sit down and reach a level of clarity so that you can make the next move,” Matthews said.?

Kennedy suggests taking personality tests like the Myers-Briggs or the DiSC assessment to know your strengths and opportunity areas. Also, seek feedback from co-workers and managers.

“Sometimes you get into your job and you forget how important it is to get feedback from people you trust,” Kennedy said. “And if you get feedback, you might realize, ‘You know what? I'm going to those meetings and I'm not really showing up. My brand is not shining. Maybe I'm coming across as tired, exhausted, or frustrated.’”

Kennedy also encourages finding a mentor in your company to provide guidance.

“Even if you get a mentor that you only meet with every four or five weeks, that can completely change your career,” Kennedy said. “It can be so motivating and inspiring.”

Matthews suggests people feeling complacent take moments of self-reflection in the morning or before going to bed when they spend the most time alone. Asking yourself the tough questions can save you years wasted in a career that doesn’t suit you.

“I want everybody to practice more self-awareness and really get focused on understanding that you are the power behind the machine, so you don't have to be in this place of complacency all the time,” Matthews said. “You could in a matter of seconds save your entire career trajectory by making the decision to do things on your own terms… Make sure that you stay mindful of the personal power you have in your career.”

Top Takeaways

How to Reduce Workplace Complacency

• Complacency occurs when people feel stagnant at work and their day-to-day routine doesn’t change.
• Complacency manifests in a lack of morale and productivity.
• Leaders can reduce employee complacency by checking in with employees and ensuring they are aware of company growth opportunities.
• Employees should reflect on why they feel complacent and decide what change they need in the workplace.
• Seek feedback and mentorship to feel more engaged at work and reduce complacency.