The Wall Street Journal had a great article yesterday titled "Why Is Everyone So Unhappy at Work Right Now? They provide data that U.S. employees are more dissatisfied than they were in the thick of the pandemic.
Wow, that is pretty bad.
Looking back to 2021 data, unhappiness and disengagement among American workers had reached historic highs. The General Social Survey (GSS) conducted in 2021 revealed a significant increase in the number of Americans who reported feeling "not too happy," particularly among individuals under 35. This widespread unhappiness reflected a growing dissatisfaction with the world and one's place in it.
But weren't things supposed to be getting better?
Apparently not.
From the WSJ article, "Despite wage increases, more paid time off and greater control over where they work, the number of U.S. workers who say they are angry, stressed and disengaged is climbing, according to Gallup's 2023 workplace report. Meanwhile, a BambooHR analysis of data from more than 57,000 workers shows job-satisfaction scores have fallen to their lowest point since early 2020, after a 10% drop this year alone."
How can this be? Employers started throwing money at the problem of labor shortages after the pandemic. Has the luster of higher pay and increased benefits lost its shine?
Yes, it has, and record inflation has eaten away at those pay increases. Now, companies are pushing for higher productivity from their workers (to pay for those wage increases), leaving workers feeling just like they did before the pandemic; overworked, stressed, and with increasing anxiety.
In my book, "I QUIT! Winning the War for Top Talent" I explore the notion that the pandemic was a significant emotional event for the workforce, and the trauma many faced during the pandemic will continue to impact employees' lives, including their relationship with work. Earlier this month, the American Psychological Association echoed that notion, reporting that U.S. Adults are suffering from "Collective Trauma" from the Pandemic.
Trauma changes everything, including how our brains work, how we process information, and how we view our relationships. The pandemic gave us the Great Resignation. The Great Resignation produced the Great Disconnect. The future of work is changing, and the data on unhappiness at work and plummeting job satisfaction is not signally sunny skies on the horizon.
All we know now is that this level of unhappiness is not sustainable, and employees and employers will mutually benefit when companies invest in cultivating sustainable employees.
Check out my other blogs that explore this topic further and where I offer explanations and solutions for employers and employees. We are beginning this conversation, and your thoughts and feedback will help bring solutions to light. Please comment below and share your story about how your views on work have changed.