Feeling burnt out, under appreciated, and just simply disengaged at work? You might be experiencing the effects of resenteeism, an obvious form of dissatisfaction that shares some similarities with quiet quitting, a viral workplace trend that describes checking out – albeit silently.
Rachel Lum (not her real name) has become so “jaded” at work that she’s started to resent it. The 34-year-old digital content editor and researcher says that her feelings towards her job changed last year, when her bosses requested that their staff return to the office full-time. After nearly three years of working from home during the pandemic, Rachel didn’t like that she had essentially been forced back to a five-day work week in the office.
“I went from having flexible work days to a more structured schedule that was hard to readjust to,” she says. “What’s more, I have to see my boss every day now because he’s sitting just metres from me, watching over me like a hawk, and I’m back to commuting to and from work, which is more tiring than I remember it to be.”
Due to lay-offs during the pandemic, Rachel’s team is also a lot leaner. The workload, however, has increased, yet Rachel’s bosses haven’t hired extra staff. “I’m doing more work as a result, but it’s been about two years since I received a pay rise,” Rachel complains.
She’s also lost interest in the job she’s held for six years,
