Over the last few years, we’ve seen a trend where it’s become common to generalize and collectively label what’s happening in the work world. In 2021 and 2022, we first heard talk of the Great Resignation. The movement was headlined by employees who were rethinking their job choice and work-life balance after the pandemic. It was also a period when Baby Boomers chose early retirement over a return to work.
The period labeled as the Great Resignation was soon supported by references to Quiet Quitting, which simply added a label to a behavior that’s long been prevalent in the workplace. The contrast to Quiet Quitting was Loud Quitting, which generalized a more vocal, disgruntled employee in the workplace.
The end of 2023 and throughout 2024 could be summed up as what many business leaders might have viewed as a rightsizing with layoffs for those who did not follow calls for a return to office (RTO). Employees who did not want to return fell under the ax of Quiet Firing. Employees who did follow RTO initiatives showed their displeasure through an act labeled as Coffee Badging.
Layoffs in a number of industries throughout 2024 have led to a saturated and highly competitive job market. Those still standing after the layoffs are feeling simultaneously relieved and burdened with fewer people being left to do the work of those who were let go. Managers too are now dealing with heavier workloads and more direct reports to manage. The decision of whether to stay in a role rather than searching for a new job is now being called the Great Stay. Although employee engagement stands at record lows, employees are choosing job security over the potential risk of an unknown job situation.
This leads us to yet another label, the Great Detachment, coined by Gallup, where employees feel stuck with their job discontent. These employees are feeling overwhelmed with the need to navigate new priorities and new ways of working, leading them to question the mission of the company along with the meaning and purpose of their own work.
While these labels can be informative in a general way, they do little to help employees and managers navigate the necessities of the day-to-day. High-performing employees and effective managers should have what they need to do their jobs and crucial support to bring these issues to light, whenever necessary.
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