A recent poll showed only nine percent of UK employees feel engaged with their work. Gosia Bowling, National Lead for Emotional Wellbeing at Nuffield Health provides top tips to re-engage with their work.
The State of the Global Workplace: 2022 report showed some worrying signs for employers and the culture of quiet quitting – completing the minimum requirements of a job with no more time, effort, or energy than needed.
But now employers are putting in place ways to turn this around and begin quiet thriving instead – finding ways to re-engage with work and find enjoyment again, without overdoing it and burning themselves out.
Gosia Bowling, National Lead for Emotional Wellbeing at Nuffield Health, said there are five small changes people can make to quietly thrive.
“A new perspective can renew your passion for your line of work and increase your productivity,” Gosia said.
“If you approach your role with a negative mindset at the start of each day, you will only be able to see the parts of the job that you dislike and will overlook the positive aspects.
“Instead, try to shift your mindset and look for the beneficial parts of your position that you enjoy and give you a sense of purpose. By changing perspectives, you can create a greater sense of meaning in your everyday work.”
Gosia added that it needs to be a consistent practice of positive thinking to reduce daily pessimistic thoughts.
Employees should discuss their role with their manager and ask if they can expand on responsibilities of the job that they enjoy and cope with the tasks they dislike, according to Gosia.
“This process is often referred to as job crafting, which is the process of an employee shaping their role to be more appealing, often with the help of a manager,” she added.
“Not only can this improve your attitude toward your work, but it can also lead to further opportunities to complete tasks that you enjoy and allow your manager to have a better understanding of your strengths.
“Setting boundaries is also important, while being busy at work is often praised and encouraged, it can lead to employees working outside of work hours or through lunch breaks.
“This will not only lead to burn out but build resentment towards your job too. However, this can be avoided by setting clear boundaries at work to create better work-life balance.
“This will also give you more time to enjoy other aspects of your life outside of work. In a recent survey on stress and wellbeing, 4 in 5 participants found spending time on a hobby highly effective in managing stress.
“Further research suggests people with some hobbies are less likely to suffer from low mood, and depression.”
“Similarly, positive relationships with your colleagues are hugely important for emotional well-being, as they can create a more relaxed and sociable environment to work in.
“Co-worker interaction can help to relieve boredom from day-to-day tasks, and employees who work with friends are seven times more likely to be engaged with their job.”
On taking small breaks Gosia added that they can help to improve your emotional and physical wellbeing at work and are hugely important for reducing stress and increasing task performance.
