The Hidden Impact of Languishing at Work

The Hidden Impact

What if we told you that it’s not burnout or poor work engagement that may be hurting your staff and business the most. What if we told you it isn’t depression or anxiety either. It could be Languishing.

Increasing Interest in Workplace Mental Health

Many employers seek ways to improve their employees’ feelings and function at work. A huge uptick in workplace mental health interest can be seen, partly driven by employers’ 1) drive to take care of the people they work with every day, 2) their focus on improving how their business functions, and 3) regulatory changes in Australia.

Some employers most have teams that are doing well, and are looking for ways to prevent problems in the future, and further strengthen team wellbeing. Other employers work with more challenging conditions, where organisational and individual challenges drive more complex problems for teams and the individuals that work in them.

Burn-out. Low work engagement. Psycho-social hazards driven by workplace conditions. Staff taking time out for depression and anxiety. Big topics are on the minds of many wellbeing, safety, HR, and Learning and Development managers.

Intuitively however, many also know they have a different problem. A problem that doesn’t fit the above categories. A problem many don’t have a word for even though they know it exists. It is time we name this elephant in the room: many staff Languish with poor mental wellbeing, and it is seriously hurting businesses.

The Extent of the Languishing Problem

Be Well Co has launched a new report showing the impact that languishing has on Australia. Using the data from 16,000 participants from workplace and community samples, the report shows that we may have up to one in five Australians:  ‘languishing’, a psychological term that describes a state of low wellbeing, where people feel stuck and disengaged, lack a sense of belonging and experience a lack of purpose, without the symptoms of mental illness.

What the report found was that people who languish with poor mental wellbeing, but who do not have symptoms of depression or anxiety, are bringing this problem into the workplace. It is affecting their work engagement and levels of burnout, and that is something that should worry employers.

Understanding Languishing at Work

Languishing is characterised by a lack of enthusiasm and motivation. They are dissatisfied with the way they and their life are at the moment, or where their life is headed. They don’t feel good and they struggle to function as well as they could. It is a general experience that exists independent of the workplace, although it can be fuelled by it.

Employees who are languishing may not necessarily be completely unhappy or unproductive, but they are not thriving either. They go through the motions without feeling engaged or fulfilled. This state of mind can be detrimental not only to the individuals experiencing it but also to the organisation as a whole.

The Impact on Employees

1. Reduced Productivity: Employees who are languishing often suffer in silence and find it difficult to concentrate, which can lead to decreased productivity. Tasks that once seemed manageable may feel difficult, and the lack of motivation can hinder their ability to perform at their best.

2. Decreased Creativity: Creativity thrives in environments where individuals feel inspired and motivated. When employees are languishing, their creative thinking can suffer, leading to a stagnation in innovation and problem-solving. They lack the ability and energy to contribute and problem-solve.

3. Emotional Drain: Languishing can lead to feeling emotionally depleted. The feeling of aimlessness can be draining over time, impacting mental health and leading to feelings of frustration and dissatisfaction. Many people explain the feeling of languishing as a lack of purpose, connection, and meaning which impacts interactions at work day to day.

4. Impact on Social Interactions: Employees who are languishing may be less inclined to have social interactions, leading to isolation. They feel less belonging in general, which can further exacerbate feelings of disconnection and disengagement from both colleagues and the organisation.

Organisational Consequences

1. High Turnover Rates: When employees feel unmotivated and stuck in general, they may be more likely to seek opportunities elsewhere, even if the cause doesn’t completely lie in the workplace itself. This can lead to high turnover rates, which are costly for organisations in terms of both time and resources.

2. Diminished Team Cohesion: Languishing employees may contribute less to team efforts, leading to a lack of cohesion and collaboration. This can affect team dynamics and overall performance.

3. Lack of Innovation: Organisations thrive on innovation and fresh ideas. A workforce that is languishing may not contribute to the innovative processes that drive growth and success

The impact of languishing in workplaces is not just decreased productivity and engagement, it stimulates a more negative work environment and significant financial costs.

Ok, so how do I tackle it?

• You can consider different steps, but it all should start with asking yourself some questions:
• Does my current data (or experience) tell me that I have a significant group of disinterested and unmotivated employees?
• Do I think that the causes don’t just lie in my workplace?
• Is it important for me to figure out how many people Languish and how this is fuelling other workplace indicators such as engagement?
• Do I have something in place to help staff who Languish?

We can help you with each of these steps and are more than happy to jump on a call to discuss. We will be releasing many more blogs and educational material on this topic so be sure to stay in touch.

In the meantime, check out our Languishing page, including workplace solutions and our most recent research report.