Some file it under the so-called ‘quiet quitting’ wave which rose during the pandemic and subsided shortly afterwards, while others try to explain it as a new variant of the ‘work-to-rule’ campaign or the ‘antiwork movement’. But #ActYourWage seems to reflect a different, arguably more complex attitude than its predecessors. What does it imply about the current state of the economy and labor markets? and what can we, as team leaders, as employers and coaches do to change this?
It has been around for decades, been called different names, and taken different shapes – ‘ghost/quiet quitting’, ‘cyberloafing’, ‘slacking’, ‘coasting’, etc. Whatever the term, it essentially refers to a disengaged employee; a person who refuses to overextend him- or herself on the job, is unwilling to be reduced from person to “work force”. Disengaged employees may be frustrated with the wages that they earn, or with their boss’s abusive attitude, or feel discouraged by a lack of future career perspective. But instead of quitting their job or looking for another job – a risky move, especially in times of economic instability, recession or depression – they decide to check out without handing an official notice, and (either secretly or openly) perform only the very minimum that’s required of them.
#ActYouWage, the newest viral iteration that’s raging on TikTok, and other social platforms, prescribes that much in plain words: act your wage, namely, do exactly what you are paid to do; no less, and certainly no more. Interestingly, those who openly identify with #ActYourWage often deny hating their current job or fostering the hope of finding a better one. Many appear to accept the basic premise that cultivating a career no longer guarantees the financial security and living comfort enjoyed by prior generations, and are therefore starting to embrace precarity not merely as a fact of life but also as a way of life. In other words, what is the point in doing more than just the minimum?
Not just a gen Z trend of work-life balance
We all know by now that happy employees make better employees; we may even go out on a limb and suggest that most employers are, at least in theory, aware that positive reinforcement and encouraging employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance is ultimately in their own – the employer’s – best interest. But when it comes to ActYourWage and why its message is evidently so appealing to many young people, there’s seemingly more to it than trying to rebalance the old work-life equation; certainly it is not, as some have tried to argue, symptomatic of a lazy (“zoomer”) generation.
#Act you wage silently threatens to gnaw at the foundations of your organization, if gone unrecognized and unaddressed
Levels of disengagement among employees are the highest in a decade. Only 21% of employees are “engaged” in their work according to Gallup’s recent findings based on ‘employee engagement’ surveys administered across thousands of organizations globally. Surprising? Well, the same study also indicates that in 2022, 19% of employees around the globe were “actively disengaged”. Seeing as patterns of disengagement in the vein of ActYourWage are often openly and publicly displayed, insofar as it represents a form of protest, the potential of spreading fast and infecting others in the organization is substantially higher; and if you fail to address it in a constructive and strategic manner, it could pose a serious problem to your organization.
Employers and managers should take the time to understand the motivations and aspirations of their employees, and work to create an environment that supports these goals. When workers feel seen and valued, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their work, and to be proactive in seeking out opportunities for growth and development. Trusting workers to make good decisions for themselves is key, but not a given. Like many other aspects of employer-employee relations, building trust it’s a two-way street. Employers and managers must cultivate a supportive environment that is conducive to autonomous growth and provide their employees with the resources and opportunities that they need to succeed. By creating an environment of trust, managers can help to empower workers and encourage them to take ownership of their careers and financial futures.
Finally, workers want to be challenged and pushed out of their comfort zones. Encouraging them to acquire new skills or to take on new responsibilities are good ways to go about it. When workers are challenged and supported in this way, they are more likely to be motivated, engaged, and committed to their work, and to achieve great things in their personal and professional lives.
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