Nearly four years into the post-pandemic wake of workplace disruption, things are still not exactly what anyone would refer to as normal. It began in March 2020, when the world closed abruptly, leading to layoffs and isolation as people were handed pink slips or told to work from home. Memes were popping up everywhere showing remote employees in their home offices, sporting business attire on the top while scantily clad beneath the desk.
After the unexpected luxury of being able to work in our sweatpants while also saving life minutes and gas money wore off, the lack of structure and face-to-face interaction caused many to slide down the rabbit hole of loneliness and depression. Then, once it was considered “safe” to return to work in person, many of us had forgotten how to socialize like the intelligent beings with opposable thumbs we are, and we retreated.
.jpg "Source: Kaboompics/Pexels")
Source: Kaboompics/Pexels
Social anxiety took on a new and broader meaning, as the very thought of seeing and interacting with coworkers seemed like the equivalent of climbing Everest.
Some of this was exacerbated by learned laziness, and some of it was newly acquired apathy. The pandemic caused us to reevaluate our lives and where we were putting our energy. Our tolerance for stress, unnecessary obligations, and workplace misery lowered. Employees began asking, “Do I feel valued and am I happy here?”
This new appreciation of our life minutes brought about a heightened awareness of what we were now willing and not willing to do, leading to the trend of “quiet quitting.” Just a short while later, the quiet quitters picked up momentum as they gained in numbers, and articles began popping up on the internet about what was now referred to as “The Great Resignation.”
This countrywide shortage of people power led to a proliferation of signs saying, “Closed until further notice” or “Sorry, no staff.” Lots of restaurants made the shift from limited in-person dining to curbside service, to out of business.
According to ClarityHR, a mere 27 percent of employees are actively engaged in their jobs, which means that nearly three-quarters of those remaining are either reporting that they are ambivalent or completely disengaged. That is a lot of unhappy people on autopilot, coasting through their valuable lives (ClarityHR, 2023).
Simply put, as we round the bend toward year five of post-workplace-trauma, things have amped up to what may now be considered a workplace zombie apocalypse.
What is a workplace zombie?
Workplace zombie (noun): a person who is or appears lifeless, apathetic, or completely unresponsive in their workplace (ClarityHR, 2023).
An apocalypse is defined as “an event involving destruction or damage on an awesome or catastrophic scale” (Oxford Dictionary, n.d.).
Combine the two and we have a big problem. As the old cliché says, “It takes only a few rotten apples to spoil the whole bunch.” Leaders need to become aware of zombies on their teams to take the first step toward rebuilding a positive and enriched workplace environment.
Source: photo by cottonbro/pexels
Four signs of zombies in the workplace
Zombies are absent a lot. They will look for any excuse to not be at work and demonstrate very little interest in showing up at all.
Decreased quality of work and overall productivity. Zombies will do the absolute minimum to skate by and frequently make careless errors.
Disconnection from coworkers. When there is an office party or other social event such as a staff volunteer day, zombies will either be missing entirely or they will make a cameo appearance. They will be the last to show up, contribute very little or nothing to the event, and be among the first to leave.
Zombie energy is toxic and contagious. Though often very subtle, zombies can sniff out other potential zombies and will trash-talk about leaders and the organization itself to lure new recruits to join the zombie effort.
How to prevent employees from becoming zombies?
Burnout prevention. As they say, “Prevention is the best medicine.”
Realize that the symptoms of burnout and depression aren’t that different. Make sure that your team is aware of and encouraged to take advantage of your organization’s mental health benefits. Nipping it in the bud can make all the difference.
Rest rather than quit. Embed this idea into regular meetings and schedule weekly/bimonthly check-ins with your team.
Conduct regular risk assessments. These can help identify employee exposure to workplace hazards, such as excessive workload, subpar managerial support, bullying, and discrimination (Lyra, 2024).
Offer wellness opportunities. There is so much available out there right now, such as yoga, guided mindfulness activities, massage chairs, and lunch hour walks.
Offer “mental wealth” days. This can be once each month for the team, or they can be offered on an individual basis as floater wellness days to be taken when needed.
Monthly team lunches. If possible, offer to have lunch brought in for your team once each month to show appreciation as well as to get the team together to talk about things other than work. “Breaking bread together” can make a huge difference.
What to do when an ambivalent employee crosses over to a disengaged zombie
“The most responsible thing you can do as a manager and a leader is transitioning zombies out of your organization” (ClarityHR).
Most of us have heard the adage that “misery loves company.” This is a myth. The truth is that “misery loves miserable company.” Negativity is contagious. And, fortunately, so is positivity.
Dr. Martin Seligman, father of positive psychology, states that “the good life consists in deriving happiness by using your signature strengths every day in the main realms of living.” Good leaders are aware of their team members’ signature strengths and embed these into requested tasks and projects. This creates a sense of alignment between the employee and their purpose, which in turn leads to happiness and fulfillment.
“Well-being is a combination of feeling good as well as having meaning, good relationships, and accomplishment” (Seligman, 2012).
In fact, life without meaning can be a straight road to sadness and even depression. As Viktor Frankl (1997), author of Man’s Search for Meaning, reminds us, “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.”
Many organizations are realizing that slapping a Band-Aid on post-pandemic workplace disengagement is not working and are now bringing in consultants and workshop facilitators to help leaders bring that spark of motivation back to their teams. They are realizing that the whole person is walking in to work each day, and not simply their employee, bringing with them everything going on in their lives.
Fortunately, the brain is resilient and can be rewired for happiness and positivity. When organizations embrace their teams with this holistic approach to leadership, it’s a win-win for everyone.
We know that happy people are more focused, more creative, and more productive. Why? Because they love their lives.