(CNN) – Bored at work? Upset with your boss? You are not the only one.
A new Gallup poll released Tuesday reveals that workers around the world are historically stressed, disengaged from their jobs and increasingly at odds with their bosses. Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace 2023” report examined how “employees feel about their work and lives, an important indicator of organizational resilience and performance.”
The results of the survey revealed that 59% of workers are “quitting quietly”, that is, they are not committed; and 18% are “quitting out loud,” which is the act of being actively separated (but still employed). Gallup estimates that low engagement is costing the world economy nearly $9 trillion.
Gallup asked employees what they would improve about their jobs, and most of the answers, perhaps surprisingly, were not about pay or benefits, but about things like more autonomy, clear goals, and recognition for their contributions.
According to Gallup, stress at work has reached unprecedented levels. Some 44% of the employees surveyed said they experience “a lot” of stress at work, which is consistent with its 2021 survey results and continues a “trend of elevated stress that began nearly a decade earlier.”
What contributes to that stress isn’t disclosed, as Gallup doesn’t ask, but the report hypothesizes that internal factors, such as one’s own job and low engagement, plus external factors, such as inflation, are driving up stress levels. .
More than half, 51%, of all respondents said they were actively looking for a new job; 53% of those surveyed told Gallup that now is a good time to look for a new job. This figure is 8% higher than last year, indicating that “deeply disgruntled workers are able to leave bad workplaces” and find a career they love, according to the company.
Gallup concludes that leaders must actively engage with their employees to keep them happy, and that high employee engagement does not mean happiness.
“True engagement means employees are psychologically present to do their job. They know what to do, have what they need, and have the support of their boss and team. They know why their job matters. They are prepared to work,” the report says.
