These days, offices are highly competitive, demanding, and fast-paced. Many employees find themselves facing excessive pressure to meet sales targets, complete complex projects within tight deadlines, and constantly exceed management’s expectations.
In the wake of the almost daily news headlines about layoffs and unethical firings, employees are traumatized, and they are being driven to high performance through relentless pursuits of high performance. It is important to understand that certain job roles can trigger a state of survival mode in employees, significantly influencing their work experience and overall well-being.
Survival mode occurs when employees feel overwhelmed and stressed, uncertain about how to cope with the mounting pressures they face. It is crucial for employers and managers to be able to identify the signs of employees in survival mode. By doing so, they can provide the necessary support to alleviate work-related stress and pressure, ultimately helping employees feel less overwhelmed.
Failure to recognize these signs can have long-term consequences for employers and managers. Employees in survival mode may eventually quit their jobs as they find it difficult to handle the excessive pressure and stress associated with their work. Therefore, it is essential to proactively identify and address the signs of employees in survival mode to retain valuable talent.
In this blog, we will explore five common signs that indicate when employees are in survival mode, allowing employers and managers to take appropriate measures to support and alleviate their work-related stress.
1. A rise in Absenteeism and Presenteeism: One sign that an employee is in survival mode is an increased frequency of taking leave. They can take multiple leaves in a month, such as sick leave or unplanned leave. These leaves indicate the employee is in need to take time off from the overwhelming tension and pressure he is experiencing in the office. Another observable sign is presenteeism, where employees physically show up at the office but struggle to perform their job at the same level as before. Mentally and emotionally, they are not fully engaged, and their focus often centers around eagerly anticipating the end of office hours to return home. These behaviors collectively indicate that the employee is grappling with the challenges of survival mode.
2. A decline in job satisfaction: When newly hired employees enter the workforce, they embark on a journey of learning and growth. They find joy in the process of acquiring new knowledge and skills, and the compensation they receive for their efforts. However, as job-related pressures increase and stress becomes overwhelming, employees often experience a significant decrease in job satisfaction. The immense pressure and unrealistically high expectations diminish their enjoyment of the job itself. Consequently, this lack of job satisfaction can lead to a decline in motivation, decreased productivity, and an overall deterioration in job performance.
3. Conflicts and tensions increase: When an employee enters survival mode, it creates an agitated and hostile working environment. The heightened pressure and overwhelming stress they experience make them prone to irritability and anger. This agitation is further exacerbated when employees in survival mode have to collaborate and work alongside their colleagues. The result is an increase in conflicts, arguments, and misunderstandings, which ultimately disrupts the synergy of teamwork. Not only does this impact the performance of employees in survival mode, but it also affects overall collaboration and teamwork within the organization, leading to a detrimental effect on the work environment as a whole.
Survival mode can create a tense and hostile work environment. Employees under excessive stress may become more irritable, sensitive, or reactive. This can lead to an increase in conflicts, arguments, or misunderstandings among team members. The overall atmosphere becomes strained, impacting collaboration, teamwork, and morale within the organization.
4. Turnover rate is high: When employees find themselves in survival mode, they yearn to break free from their discomfort and anguish. They lose interest in their current organization as it becomes a source of overwhelming tension, stress, and pressure that they are unable to handle. Consequently, they actively seek new opportunities in other companies where they hope to find a work environment devoid of toxicity, pressure, and tension, while also offering better compensation. As soon as they encounter the right opportunity, they choose to resign from their current position and join the new organization. This continuous cycle of employee turnover contributes to an increased turnover rate. Therefore, it is crucial for managers to closely monitor turnover rates in order to identify and address the underlying issues of survival mode within the organization. By doing so, they can prevent the loss of valuable talent and create a more supportive and sustainable work environment.
5. Physical and mental health issues: Survival mode has a profound negative impact on employees, leading to various physical and mental health issues. The immense work pressure, tension, high expectations from management, and elevated stress levels take a toll on their well-being. This can manifest in symptoms such as migraines, fever, fatigue, depression, anxiety, mood swings, irritability, difficulty concentrating, poor quality of sleep, and even the potential triggering of chronic illnesses. It is crucial for management not to ignore these signs, as they serve as critical indicators that an employee is in survival mode. By recognizing these signs in a timely manner, management can extend the necessary support to the employee and work towards creating a positive work environment that prioritizes employee well-being.
Conclusion
Survival mode is a state that many employees find themselves in due to the intense pressures and high expectations of the modern workplace. It is crucial for employers and managers to be able to identify the signs of employees in survival mode to provide the necessary support and alleviate work-related stress. The signs include increased absenteeism and presenteeism, decreased job satisfaction, heightened conflicts and tensions, high turnover rates, and physical and mental health issues. By proactively addressing these signs, organizations can retain valuable talent, foster a positive work environment, and prioritize employee well-being. Recognizing and addressing survival mode is essential for creating a healthier, more productive, and sustainable workplace for all.
