Job dissatisfaction is a problem that can affect organizations of all segments and sizes, being related to the perception that employees have of work, the business environment and their managers . This dissatisfaction triggers several other problems for the company, from increased turnover, high rates of absenteeism carried out incorrectly, and much more.
Considering that employees spend most of their days at the company carrying out their tasks, it is important to provide an adequate environment that promotes the satisfaction of these workers. The team that performs tasks on a daily basis is the greatest asset your company has, and it is essential to establish processes and continuous improvements so that this team can deliver productivity and carry out its activities in the best possible way.
This article explores how job dissatisfaction directly impacts employee productivity
How the concept of productivity has changed over the years
Firstly, we need to understand what productivity consists of. In a general concept, productivity is the production capacity with available resources , being a concept that was first mentioned by the French doctor and economist François Quesnay in 1766 .
Over the years, the concept of productivity spread throughout England through the industrial development of the time. This led factory owners to demand better results based on employees who delivered the most productivity.
The changes experienced by humanity over the years have also transformed the way productivity is viewed. In the 21st century, with technological advancement and increased use of computers and cell phones, greater productivity is now expected due to the tools available.
However, we need to remember that the demand experienced today is completely different from what was expected decades ago. In addition to the multiplication of demands, we also suffer from constant pressure for better results.
Modern companies want their employees to deliver more and more results using the resources available, and it is also the organization's responsibility to provide a quality environment and all the resources necessary for this result to be obtained . This means that productivity is not enough: it is essential to combat job dissatisfaction and ensure that your employees are engaged and motivated to deliver superior performance.
Aligning expectations with your team
The first step to ensuring greater productivity is to make it clear what the company's expectations are and the expected results of the activities . This means that your employees need to establish constant communication with their manager in order to determine what is expected of their results and the best way to achieve them.
Although it may seem obvious, it is very common for employees to be pressured to achieve results without having complete information to do so. In addition to preventing workers from reaching their goals, a lack of communication can also generate friction and make it difficult to get along well.
One way to achieve this objective is through the creation of an organizational culture focused on the exchange of information and constant feedback. This way, workers will know what is expected of their activities and also how to carry out these tasks more efficiently and quickly.
Another interesting measure for companies that want to increase employee satisfaction levels without losing productivity is the strategy known as sustainable productivity . According to the study by the International Stress Management Association in Brazil (ISMA-BR), stress levels are in a state of alert, considering that, among economically active people, 72% deal with high levels of stress and, among them , 32% developed burnout.
The main objective of this strategy is to guarantee the ability to work without affecting the worker's health, as well as their personal life. In practice, the ideal is for this worker to be productive without the need to use medications and other measures that could be harmful.
Effects of a dissatisfied employee at work
Dissatisfaction at work is directly related to a lack of motivation, a drop in productivity, distractions that occur within the work environment, lack of concentration, among other factors. Furthermore, this dissatisfaction can also favor the incidence of errors and failures during the processes carried out in the work routine, which considerably harm the company.
One dissatisfied employee can cause an entire team to suffer from low productivity. This is because this worker can verbally express several complaints that make new employees feel that the company does not invest or care about its employees.
For this reason, when faced with just one employee who is dissatisfied, it is essential that the company collects information from that employee and finds possible points for improvement that help to add more comfort and satisfaction to that employee.
This type of problem must be resolved as soon as possible, to avoid the loss of valuable talent and increased turnover in the business's workforce.
What causes job dissatisfaction?
Job dissatisfaction is a problem that can be related to several factors, ranging from a lack of professional recognition to internal problems with other employees. Below, I present the main causes of job dissatisfaction:
Lack of feedback
As we said previously, it is essential that the company establishes a communication process with its employees, so that everyone is aware of the needs and objectives expected by the organization and, in return, so that the company knows how to improve its processes.
Exchanging feedback is a fundamental process for collecting information and creating new policies and improvements aimed at a more welcoming and comfortable work environment for everyone. Taking into account that employees are responsible for carrying out the tasks that keep the company running, listening to what they have to say is essential for businesses that want to grow.
The feedback culture is an approach that, when implemented correctly, can strengthen the unity and engagement of your employees, allowing them to deliver the expected productivity and achieve high levels of satisfaction.
Recognition
Job dissatisfaction is often linked to a lack of professional recognition from your company's managers. It is important to remember that this recognition is not only related to the salaries and benefits offered by the company, but also to strategies that contribute to the continuous improvement of these employees.
A talent assessment can help ensure that each employee performs tasks that are most compatible with their profile, so that they are able to maintain interest in the tasks performed and do not feel demotivated by the routine . It is also important for managers to include feedback, chats and awards in employees' routines that value the effort of each worker and the results obtained within the periods.
Problems in the work environment
Employees responsible for managing teams must be trained and prepared to deal with people in the best way possible. Choosing your management is essential to avoid job dissatisfaction and conflicts that disrupt the routine and well-being of everyone in the company.
These managers must be prepared to provide all guidance and objectives clearly, in addition to valuing the workforce responsible for executing the company's processes . This way, the company will be able to guarantee a good interpersonal relationship between its employees and invest in fundamental factors for increasing satisfaction within the work environment.
Stagnation
Many of the activities that are carried out within the work environment can be repetitive and monotonous. However, the company must find ways to prevent its employees from feeling stagnant in the face of the activities that are carried out.
Opportunities for growth, new challenges, exchanging activities, are measures that help to improve new skills and motivate your employees. The routine can be very tiring and is a key factor in dissatisfaction within the work environment.
According to a survey by McKinsey & Company , around 27% of professionals are dissatisfied. Professional stagnation is one of the main reasons for this rate, accompanied by inadequate remuneration and lack of flexibility.
Internal problems
Problems with other employees within the work environment can also lead to dissatisfaction. Whether due to personal conflicts, company gossip, competitiveness, among other factors, problems among employees are also related to general dissatisfaction.
To avoid this problem, it is important that the company uses a clear and objective communication process, provides constant feedback and alignment meetings to ensure that all doubts and suggestions are clarified to the team. Controlling the use of internet resources can also help with this factor, considering that many problems occur due to access to social networks and personal emails.
5 simple measures to improve team productivity
Drop in productivity triggered by job dissatisfaction is a problem that can be solved with some simple measures, as we will see below:
Invest in infrastructure
It is essential that your company provides an adequate infrastructure so that your employees can carry out their tasks with efficiency and quality. In this sense, it is possible to invest in quality equipment, air conditioning, ergometric chairs, among others.
There are some amenities that can also help improve your company's environment, such as creating a pantry, rest area, among others. As we said previously, your employees spend most of their routine time within the company , so if they feel more welcomed and comfortable, the greater their satisfaction will be.
Work on team engagement
More than hiring excellent talent, the company needs to have engaged employees . This means that if your team is made up of excellent talents who do not have good interpersonal relationships and engagement , the results will not be positive.
For this reason, executing a daily engagement and motivation routine helps keep your team more productive. It is important that your employees understand their vital role in the smooth running and quality of the services offered by the company, and that they know how fundamental their work is within this business.
As a result, these employees will be more engaged and willing to carry out their tasks in the best way possible.
Strengthen internal communication
Internal communication is essential so that all tasks and activities are monitored and passed on with transparency and agility. Furthermore, a good internal communication tool helps to engage the team and facilitate the routine.
For this reason, blocking access to certain pages, such as social networks , WhatsApp and personal emails, can help ensure that essential information circulates through only one channel, avoiding errors and miscommunication.
Recognize good work
As we said previously, lack of recognition is one of the main factors related to job satisfaction. For this reason, it is essential that your managers know how to recognize the tasks that are performed with quality and the good results that are delivered by their employees.
By ensuring adequate recognition, you will not only be able to increase your company's productivity, but also retain valuable talent.
Use tools aimed at productivity
There are currently several tools developed specifically to ensure greater productivity.
Having these resources will provide your workers with extra support to be able to perform important day-to-day tasks without losing focus. An example of this are management platforms, which were developed to add more practicality and organization to the routine. We have selected the 8 best activity and process management platforms to help you organize the day-to-day running of your business, such as Trello, Quire, Asana, Monday, among others. In addition to these platforms, internet access control tools can also be used, which help block specific content and prevent your workers from being distracted during working hours . In addition to being essential for increasing productivity, these tools also help increase security in the digital environment and ensure that your company's data remains confidential.
The damage that employee dissatisfaction causes to companies
Job dissatisfaction is much more than just a factor to be combated by managers. According to a study carried out by Gallup , in the United States alone the dissatisfaction of Generation Z employees contributed to a loss of productivity of 1.9 Billion Dollars last year.
Data like this highlights the immense financial impact that dissatisfaction can have on businesses . This large drop in productivity is the result of several years of dissatisfaction, being heightened by the years of pandemic that we have experienced.
The resumption of in-person work, for example, is a factor that has increased employee dissatisfaction. After months or even years of carrying out their tasks remotely from home, these workers found themselves back in the workplace, feeling a big difference in their routine.
Data from the same survey also showed that only a third of the employees interviewed claim to be actively involved in activities carried out within the company. Around half of those interviewed admitted to being in a process known as quiet-quitting , a phenomenon that we will discuss throughout this article.
Financial impact on employee dissatisfaction
As harmless as it may seem, that employee is disengaged and dissatisfied with their work activity, causing them to spend their days just browsing the internet and wasting their available time. Which, at the end of the month, represents a major financial impact for the organization. This employee represents an investment for the organization, considering that in addition to salaries and labor charges, this employee is also taking the place of someone who could focus on the activities.
A survey carried out by BambooHR showed that job satisfaction has declined since 2020 and showed a very sharp drop in the last period. Analyzing data from almost 60,000 employees in 1,600 companies over three years, the research shows that the biggest cause of job dissatisfaction is related to a perception of professional devaluation. In other words, employees report incompatible remuneration , lack of support from managers and co-workers, excessive workloads, among others.
Another factor mentioned during this research is related to the lack of purpose and meaning in the activities carried out by employees. Although benefits and salaries are fundamental in this process, most employees report a need to connect with the activity performed.
This is not just due to remote work. Workers who work outside the company environment also feel disconnected from the mission and purpose of their activities. With this we understand that it is a problem that affects all employees, regardless of the type of journey or work environment in which they are involved.
The result of this is an increase in termination rates within companies. Also evidenced by Gallup research, these layoffs end up costing around 1.9 billion dollars . To give you an idea, the financial impact on dissatisfied workers around the world reaches around 8 trillion dollars.
Dissatisfaction also affects remote employees
As we mentioned previously, worker dissatisfaction is present even among employees who perform their tasks through remote work. Although they are not impacted by the problems present in the workplace, workers report a certain disconnection with the company's mission and objectives.
As a result, these employees end up focusing on doing only the minimum, that is, carrying out their activities without understanding the true impact that their tasks have on their routine as a whole. To combat this problem, many companies are looking for alternative tools that guarantee more assertive communication and employee engagement as integral members of a team.
The terror of modern companies: discover quiet-quitting
Silent dismissal, or quiet-quitting , is a process that has been very evident in recent years. This phenomenon is much more than just a silent dismissal, becoming a strategy used by workers where only the tasks necessary to maintain their role are carried out.
In this process, employees do not show any engagement or connection with their career or activities , abandoning proactivity and teamwork. Although on the one hand this process demonstrates how these workers want to establish boundaries between their professional and personal lives, it also contributes to great harm for organizations.
Favored by the Covid-19 pandemic, this movement affects companies all over the world , contributing to the loss of talent and causing these businesses to suffer a considerable drop in their productivity. According to a survey conducted by McKinsey , about one in four Gen Z workers reported feeling more distressed about their work, a number considerably higher than the levels reported by previous generations.
Job dissatisfaction and productivity: understand the relationship!
As we can see throughout this material, job dissatisfaction is directly related to workers’ productivity. The more dissatisfied employees are with the activities carried out, the lower the results they will deliver.
For this reason, dissatisfaction is a factor that must be combatted using all available tools, requiring companies to adopt a more proactive stance and establish improvements to ensure that their employees feel more valued.
We need to understand that dissatisfaction may often not be related to the activity performed, so the company needs to find ways to understand its employees and be able to understand and meet their needs .
Managers and entrepreneurs who establish a closer relationship with employees end up favoring improved productivity and increased engagement, thus resulting in a considerable increase in productivity in the results obtained.
Can your company overcome job dissatisfaction?
The most important thing about this is that your company can overcome job dissatisfaction and ensure that employees deliver the expected productivity. For this to be possible, it is the organization's role to ensure that these employees have adequate infrastructure and tools to ensure their engagement.
Through simple measures, such as those mentioned above, your employees will be able to feel that the company values them and that they are seen by the management team, increasing their engagement and satisfaction during their daily lives. Although the drop in productivity and dissatisfaction are inherent problems for employees, it is essential to understand this process and ensure improvements that contribute to reversing this situation.
In addition to adopting these measures, your company can also ensure the use of resources and tools that help increase the focus and productivity of these workers. As we said above, many of the problems related to satisfaction and conflicts in the workplace are related to the use of external tools. Resources such as social networks , gaming and betting websites, personal emails, among others, end up increasing distractions and favoring the incidence of conflicts between the team.
For this reason, it is essential to use an internet access control tool to ensure that these workers only have access to resources that are related to the activities carried out. In addition to avoiding communication problems, this control also helps protect your business's networks and digital resources.
Relying on modern resources: technology for productivity
Faced with the challenge of combating job dissatisfaction and boosting productivity, it is crucial to adopt strategic measures and use modern tools. In this context, technology plays a fundamental role, providing innovative solutions to optimize the work environment. Companies looking to overcome dissatisfaction and ensure more engaged employees can rely on specialized services, such as those offered by Lumiun .
Lumiun, with its expertise in internet access control, offers a powerful tool for companies that want to promote a secure digital environment focused on productivity. By blocking access to non-work related sites such as social media, gaming, gambling and adult content, Lumiun significantly contributes to reducing distractions, conflicts and improving efficiency in the workplace. Furthermore, the tool is an ally in protecting networks and digital resources , ensuring the security of the company's information.
In summary, by adopting modern and technological resources, such as those provided by Lumiun, companies can transform their work environment, promoting employee satisfaction, improving internal communication and, consequently, a substantial increase in productivity.
