Workplace complacency is a dangerous problem that can lead to inefficiencies, mistakes, and missed opportunities. In this article, we cover the causes of complacency in the workplace and figure out strategies to help your team defeat it.
One of the significant issues with repetitive tasks at work is workplace complacency.
It is common in workplaces that may involve repetitive work on a daily basis. Naturally, just like one would feel bored and dull with a monotonous personal routine, a routine job can make a person feel disengaged.
As a result, an individual is more likely to do their tasks routinely instead of mindfully. Workplace Complacency is usually a result of low motivation and engagement at the workplace.
According to Gallup’s report, only 15 percent of employees are engaged at their workplace. This tells us how deep-rooted the issue can be.
In a complacent environment, employees feel so comfortable in their position that they eventually stop caring about the quality of the work that they produce. You may wonder how a worker reaches that level of disengagement over time.
It can be a result of internal and external factors that we will discuss in detail. We will also discuss how it affects an individual and how can we overcome it.
In this article, we will cover the following:
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Workplace complacency, common in professions with a lot of repetition and mundane tasks is a physiological state wherein an individual may become disengaged with their work and enter autopilot mode.
Employees may start taking shortcuts with their work which may cause safety issues, especially with physical work.
Moreover, they may even become unaware of their shortcomings which causes an overall fall in productivity.
Complacency can be a red alert in industries like healthcare and construction, wherein one needs to be extra vigilant and take safety measures seriously. We may be guilty of being complacent at work every now and then. However, it truly becomes an issue when it turns into a long-term issue.
In the long run, workplace complacency leads to underperformance, workplace accidents, neglecting tasks, and loss of passion and initiative.
Over time, it can result in employee turnover and employee attrition.
There are several causes of workplace complacency, most of which are caused by:
The main reason why an employee may become complacent is when they become overconfident and too comfortable at their job. They may feel that their work is perfect and error-free. With a complacent attitude, there is also an inertia to grow and improve.
With a lack of proper incentives and KPIs, comes a complacent attitude. When an employee does not have proper goals or rewards to work towards, they make end up being disinterested and complacent at work.
Having no one to be answerable to for mediocre performance can lead to carelessness at work. Moreover, not having anyone to look up to and a lack of mentorship can lead to the stagnant growth in one’s career trajectory. There should be a balance between accountability and freedom at work for the employee to keep growing.
On the flip side, when employees are made to feel insignificant and powerless, there is bound to be trouble. Employees may just go about their work without really caring about delivering high-quality work and giving in their best effort.
A low confrontation culture with no feedback can lead to a false sense of security. With no one to give them constructive criticism or simply have a discussion with, an employee may feel neglected. Over time, this can lead to more serious issues in the workplace such as employee turnover.
On a more personal level, an employee may feel this way because of stress and lack of personal growth. In such cases, it is important for the company to support the employee and make them feel valued and heard.
Having said that, there could be other external and internal factors that contribute to workplace complacency, but these are the most common causes.
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The following signs can help you determine if you or someone in your workplace is suffering from workplace complacency. Once you identify the signs, you can always remedy them easily. The following signs show complacency at work:
When an employee is workplace complacent, the first few things you notice are falling engagement levels. They don’t take part in conversations, take any initiatives or take pride in their daily work.
Work seems to be very mundane and boring for you. You may also find yourself thinking about other things, apart from work. Moreover, employees end up taking occasionally long or extra breaks, indulging in their phones, or seeking other modes of thrill and entertainment.
Another common sign of complacency is that employees end up taking shortcuts. They may end up cutting corners to get the task done as soon as possible.
However, many do not realize how dangerous this can be for their well-being. Taking shortcuts can lead to accidents, especially if one works in the manufacturing, construction, or healthcare industries.
Apart from being disengaged at work, employees may also feel their passion withering away. They may have had that drive and passion to get things done and deliver high-quality work.
When complacency kicks in, the passion may tend to fade over time. New tasks and projects may not interest them as often as they did earlier.
Lack of ownership and neglecting responsibilities are two major concerns of being workplace complacent. Instead of thinking about the next step in their career, employees may start avoiding responsibilities altogether.
Taking up new responsibilities and projects no longer interests them. Instead of learning new things, they may tend to become too comfortable with their work and end up functioning in auto-pilot mode.
Making mistakes is a part of everyone’s job, however, when an individual gets complacent at work, the frequency and severity of mistakes may increase exponentially.
This can be damaging to their work quality and output. Naturally, when one tends to work without focus or attention to detail, mistakes are bound to happen.
These are the signs of workplace complacency that you should look out for. It feels like a combination of boredom, semi-awareness and disinterest. However, you may want to get out of the complacent mindset and start enjoying your regular work since complacency can be dangerous in the long run.
While workplace complacency may seem harmless at first, it can prove to be dangerous in the long run. It is important to understand the dangers of complacent behavior so that such situations can be avoided. Here are the effects of workplace complacency:
Most employees that are complacent at work lose focus and start functioning on autopilot mode. This can lead to serious accidents at work since the frequency of making mistakes also goes up when one is complacent. Complacent employees are also less likely to point out hazards that could endanger their own well-being as well as their coworkers.
Complacent employees are more likely to burn out since they are not happy with their job routines. A burned-out employee will ultimately have low levels of morale and motivation thus leading to a turnover.
With a lack of initiative and taking shortcuts, an employee’s output can be massively impacted. A complacent employee will not worry about the quality of their work and will cut corners to finish their task as fast as possible. This can lead to a fall in overall productivity and output in the workplace.
Complacency can lead to low organizational innovation and creativity levels. Since doing the same task can become mundane over time, employees will become too comfortable at work.
All these signs and dangers can be overcome with proper practices and a change in the organization’s culture. Moreover, the employees need to actively self-reflect and set achievable goals for themselves to come out of their complacent physiological state.
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To combat complacency, there are some common things that should be followed. These can be the first step to making the employees feel more aligned with the organization’s goals and engaged in their work.
Having a one-on-one chat every now and then can increase transparency and reduce the communication gap that might be prevalent. The employee can take feedback and constructive criticism to start working towards bigger goals. An effective feedback loop can help overcome the complacency stage and bring about positive change.
Sometimes, especially when an employee is bored and burned out, it becomes important to give them a break. A few vacation days and offloading their work might help combat complacency. If the employee is stressed out, a few counseling sessions can also do wonders. Offering them time to self-reflect and push for change can help them in this situation.
Another tactic to combat complacency is to offer incentives tied to their goals. Incentives — both monetary and nonmonetary also help employees become more motivated and focused which would be helpful in such a situation. You can also look at some gifts for staff that can help them feel rewarded and appreciated.
Since employees tend to lose foresight and become completely disengaged, it is necessary to help them realize their goals. Setting proper OKRs and KPIs will help them be clear about their goals and what they are working towards.
Who doesn’t love some fun activities at work? Working on ways to engage the team with team-building activities like Ricotta on Slack and Microsoft Teams can be a great way to engage your employees. When teams play and bond together, you will see an increase in productivity and output.
Striking the right balance of autonomy and accountability can be the ideal solution to fighting complacency. While autonomy gives employees flexibility and freedom with their work, accountability makes them responsible and answerable for their actions. It is important for the organization to help employees strike the right balance for progress and growth.
When an employee becomes too comfortable with their work, it can lead to safety issues. Thus, it becomes imperative to conduct regular risk assessments to make sure the employees are safe in the workplace.
A few ways to reinforce your company culture is to send encouraging emails, show appreciation, have daily check-ins and feedback sessions, and celebrate successes. This will make the employees understand what the organizational values are and how they are relevant to their work and daily functioning. This can tremendously improve the company culture leading to better employee retention and happy workers.
It is important for workplaces to offer support and have practices in place to help employees overcome complacency in the workplace. A frequent reminder of an employee’s caliber and career goals can help them feel visible. Employees can slowly start to display model behavior and be open to change and learning.
While these strategies may be hard to implement, the reward of having an open culture with strong communication can be the end of complacency at the workplace.
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To overcome complacency, many strategies such as giving employees proper feedback, offering vacation days, nurturing a culture of accountability, actively trying out new employee engagement strategies, and reinforcing company values can help.
To prevent complacency at the workplace, it is important to switch up employee routines and projects to avoid burnout and boredom. It is also important to have a culture of open communication with feedback, constructive criticism and a culture of confrontation.
Complacency can lead to employees entering an autopilot mode wherein they get too comfortable with their work. This can lead to frequent accidents, burnout, boredom, poor outcomes and a decrease in innovation and creativity.
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