Disgruntled Worker Syndrome – dɪsˈɡrʌn.t̬əld/ /ˈwɝː.kɚ/ sɪn.droʊm – noun

1. Someone who works in a particular job and is unhappy, annoyed, and/or disappointed about something and displays a type of negative behavior or mental state to express their dissatisfaction.

2. The display of chronic job related dissatisfaction directed at a specific person or group of people, compensation or career opportunities within the organization, and/or the organization itself.

DWS Definition

Disgruntled Worker Syndrome

Say What?

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, negotiating the balance between employee needs and business concerns can be a challenge. And failure to do so creates a phenomenon I call Disgruntled Worker Syndrome

So, how do you combat Disgruntled Worker Syndrome in your work environment?

By offering individual wellbeing programs AND changing the workplace culture.

Now I can’t promise that if you align your workplace culture and individual wellbeing programs, there won’t be the occasional disgruntled worker, but I can say that by offering only programs for individual wellbeing there definitely will be disgruntled workers in your workforce because, their workplace environment is not providing what they need to reconcile the conflicts they’re experiencing, and this creates tension and causes them to disengage.

Here’s the deal, if you’re offering programs to your workforce for individual wellbeing and not paying any attention to your workplace culture, employees may feel better but this may actually bring more attention to the deficits in your work environment making things worse and exacerbating Disgruntled Worker Syndrome

So how do you annihilate Disgruntled Worker Syndrome, engage your workforce and improve your bottom line in the long-term?

Find Out How

As Seen In

Workforce Engagement is Critical for Business Continuity

As the workplace has evolved, so have the expectations

People are quiet quitting. Wellbeing is a growing priority. Investors and clients expect you to deliver on your promises…

And while you want to transform your organization into a well-oiled machine, it’s not a simple task you can knock out in your annual leadership meeting.

You need a game plan to ensure that your business will consistently…

Attract and retain talented people
Improve engagement and productivity
Get value from your wellbeing offerings
Impress and delight your clients

What does Disgruntled Worker Syndrome
have to do with it?

DWS is not just a symptom but also are cause of poor workplace culture. No one starts a job disgruntled, this grows over time and can spread across the workforce like a wildfire impacting productivity and morale and it has everything to do with mental health.

With 11% of the workforce being Disgruntled Workers who are actively disengaged and likely to demoralize others, he numbers speak for themselves.

Average employee turnover rate across industries

U.S. employees are engaged

of people don’t feel mentally safe @ work

of employees feel overwhelmed at work

0.00

employee’s annual salary cost to replace an employee

These are issues that perks, high deductible health insurance plans, and a meditation room in the office don’t address.

What Employers Need to Succeed

And while you’ve started working on your wellbeing efforts and how they impact productivity, you’re getting stuck on some components.

Instead of throwing darts at the dartboard and hoping you hit the target, you can think holistically about individual benefits and workforce culture, plan ahead with a slate of proven programs, and work collectively to annihilate Disgruntled Worker Syndrome.

Here’s where organizations need help sorting it out.

Here’s what you have …

Individual wellbeing programs
like gym memberships
Disjointed or poorly thought-out
individual wellbeing programs
Annual reviews that provide little feedback
for employees to navigate their career
Taking a guess
at what your employees really want
Benefits
like health, dental, and vision insurance
Medical and Disability leave

Here’s what needs attention …

A workplace that is psychologically safe
So employees can focus on work
Holistic and robust programs
that reinforce employee value
Clear communication
of employer expectations on a regular basis
Offering flexibility
so employees can balance their work a life
Personalized benefits
to address employees specific health issues
Coverage that doesn't differentiate
between mental and physical health

Ready to cure Disgruntled Worker Syndrome in your workplace?

Check out how Sorting it Out can help

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