Spotting and preventing workplace apathy before it’s too late
The pandemic launched a number of phrases into Americans’ vocabulary: the “new normal,” the “great resignation,” “quiet quitting” and more. Recently the term “coffee badging” has popped up in reference to employees who return to the office just long enough to chit-chat around the coffee pot and then leave for the day.
Why is this happening? Is it purely a rebellion against return-to-office mandates or is this a deeper issue? Research from Gallup shows frightening data about how disengaged and unmotivated many employees have become. How can you identify an apathetic employee and, even better, avoid hiring one? Recognize and avoid hiring disengaged employees by spotting these five key behaviors commonly exhibited by those who are tuned out:
A poor attitude. Not every employee is a loud member of the Welcome Wagon, nor should they be. But if a worker always seems defensive, pessimistic and short-fused, this demeanor can spread through even tight-knit teams like poison. An employee who deeply does not want to work is a massive liability to your organization.
Lack of care about the work product. This includes sloppy work, frequent errors that are uncorrected, assessing the bare minimum required to get a paycheck and lack of attention to communication. An attentive worker remedies mistakes quickly and endeavors to create an error-free work product, while a zoned-out zombie simply doesn’t worry about it.
Absenteeism. Sometimes stuff just happens in life. However, if an employee creates a hundred reasons why they cannot come to work or why they must regularly arrive late, this is clearly a problem. Engaged employees find ways to balance their personal lives with their work lives, while apathetic workers just don’t care — and it shows.
Slacking off. Digital distraction is easier now than ever. A worker who’s tuned out will spend lots of time playing on social media, shopping online or chatting with friends rather than making or saving money for your company. They may also hang out in the break room circling the water cooler for office gossip simply to avoid actual work.
Excuse making. Instead of embracing constructive criticism, an apathetic worker will blame others. Their lack of attention to detail, missing deadlines and failure to deliver a quality product is magically someone else’s fault, not theirs.
Firing a poorly performing employee is never fun and companies must take care to thoroughly document offenses. The most effective strategy is to avoid hiring an apathetic worker in the first place. So, what can you do?
Be honest during your interview process. Set clear expectations and ensure that potential new hires understand your technical requirements as well as your company’s culture. If you place the bar high — not impossibly high — but tall enough to weed out disengaged workers who just want an easy paycheck, apathetic workers will bow out on their own.
Screen for enthusiasm. Open-ended interview questions are helpful, such as, “Tell me about a time when…” or “Describe a situation where…” A detached applicant will offer little or no information about themselves or previous work dynamics.
Pay attention to behavior. Much communication is non-verbal. How does the candidate appear — lively, interested and serious, or half-asleep and droopy? Did they take any time to learn about your company and the job description or do they ask basic questions that they should already know?
Watch out for chronic job hoppers. Long tenures are less common these days but that does not mean you should settle for someone who leaves every job after a few months. Likewise, you should be careful with applicants who make derogatory remarks about previous managers, colleagues and roles.
Work with BIC Recruiting. At BIC, we weed out the disengaged and disgruntled candidates, so you don’t have to. You could spend countless hours reviewing irrelevant resumes and conducting round after round of interviews only to discover that no one seems to be a great fit for your team. Or you can make a simple phone call and rest assured that the candidates you select are qualified, engaged and ready for work!
For more information, visit BICRecruiting.com, email trosario@bicrecruiting.com or call (281) 538-9996.
