A new trend in the workplace is wreaking havoc on America’s workforce, negatively impacting morale and tanking productivity.
Coined “loud laborers,” the problem centers around people who “spend more time talking about their work than actually doing it,” according to FOX Business, and the concept is spreading in today’s hybrid workplace.
Not to be confused with “quiet quitting” employees who crumble under burnout and do the least amount of work required of them, “loud laborers” are now “evolving and adapting traditional tactics and techniques to the digital, work-from-home, flexible workplace,” said Joe Galvin, chief research officer with Vistage, “the world’s largest CEO coaching and peer advisory organization for small and midsize business leaders,” according to the company’s website.
Young TikTokker sparks fierce debate for claiming Gen Z is too smart to work hard at a job https://t.co/LMHWJKIIxG pic.twitter.com/lDIcubiTQb
— BizPac Review (@BIZPACReview) April 30, 2023
“Engagement issues can spread like wildfire, as under-engaged or underperforming employees often put an unfair brunt of the workload on their colleagues, creating a continuum of burnout across the organization,” Galvin told FOX Business.
Nicole Price, a leadership coach and workplace expert, said in an interview with CNBC’s Make It site, that “loud laborers” are “often quite politically savvy and are very active on professional social networks, where they publicize their tasks and achievements.”
“Believe it or not, some people talk too much about their accomplishments — or lack thereof — because they lack self-esteem or are insecure. Therefore, they overcompensate,” she explained. “Also, some people are motivated by external rewards and recognition rather than the inherent satisfaction of the work itself. This can lead to a focus on visibility and self-promotion in order to attract these rewards.”
Michelle Reisdorf, district president for Chicago’s Robert Half, a recruiter and employment agency, says management needs to be made aware of “loud laborers.”
“If you are hearing a teammate voice concerns about their workload, it’s important to flag that for a manager,” she said, adding that management needs to tackle any issues head-on if work is suffering.
“If you have a ‘loud laborer,’ it might be easier to find out about the issue since they are being vocal about it as opposed to keeping it bottled up,” Reisdorf advised. “The best advice when it comes to these trends is to keep communication open and set up one-on-one time with your teams.”
“It’s always good to have your finger on the pulse of the workforce,” she said, “especially if the teams are operating in a hybrid or remote situation.”
Businesses and HR leaders must increase employee engagement and improve both internal communication and trust if they want to limit the number of “loud laborers,” Galvin agreed.
Gen Z workers share blunt out-of-office reply messages. Millennials wish they could be so bold. https://t.co/YtBPCd9L35 pic.twitter.com/WVD8fnuPil
— BizPac Review (@BIZPACReview) December 3, 2022
“To do this, leaders must first set appropriate standards and expectations for each role, and hold workers accountable for timely and high-quality deliverables,” he said.
Leaders must also find a measurable way to determine who is actually doing their job and then praise them for it.
“By keeping a pulse on individual output, and proactively sharing kudos throughout the organization for those who have quantifiable results,” he said, “leaders can quiet the noise and put a spotlight on those who are actually contributing in a meaningful way.”
It’s all about keeping tabs on the employee experience and improving company culture, Galvin said.
“Culture has become even more important, and even more challenging, amid the rise of hybrid work,” he noted, but building a strong culture “can unify employees and prevent ‘loud laborers’ from souring the workplace.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.