Listen on Spotify.
The advent of the coronavirus has led to a change in the way we work. More and more people and companies are beginning to experiment with a new hybrid model of working.
Some find this sort of model beneficial because we can blend our personal and professional lives in an engaging way that yields rewards that enhance both. If you work in this way, you may only need to report on your work once a week, or even once a fortnight.
The problem is, trust is essential when engaged in hybrid working and if you don’t need to be in the office as often as you were before the pandemic, there is a danger of becoming complacent. This, unsurprisingly, can lead to a dip in productivity.
Later, we’ll highlight signs of complacency to watch out for and share some tips on how you can overcome it.
First, though, let’s define complacency in the workplace.
What is Complacency in the Workplace?
Complacency in the workplace is a state in which employees disengage and do not think critically or analyse situations. People operate on autopilot and just follow a set routine which means they complete tasks without giving them the degree of care and attention they deserve.
Everyone does this on occasion, and it is nothing to be ashamed of. However, this type of complacency can become a problem if it becomes the usual way we operate, and can have serious
Before we discover how to overcome workplace company, let’s learn the signs for which we should watch out for.
Signs of Complacency in the Workplace
How can you tell if you are becoming complacent?
Here are some of the most common behaviours and mindsets we display. If you catch yourself falling into any of these mindsets or engaging in any of these behaviours, it could be a warning that you are falling into the trap of workplace complacency.
Taking a shortcut
Taking shortcuts where possible can be a sign of complacency in the workplace, particularly in fields like construction and manufacturing. The consequences can be dire if shortcuts are taken in those workplaces and could even lead to accidents.
At best, taking shortcuts leads to a decrease in the quality of your work which could be bad news for a company’s reputation.
Feeling disengaged
When you are complacent about work, you tend to disengage with your work a little more each day. You find that you’re sending fewer emails than you once did, that you don’t talk to your colleagues on the phone so often, and may not have seen them in person in ages.
You have stopped becoming involved with the people around you and don’t interact as much as you did before.
You’re making more mistakes
It is common for us to make more errors when we are monitored at work. It often happens because our minds are preoccupied with many other problems. It’s not surprising that we make mistakes under those circumstances because we are not completely focused.
Check out our post on why we struggle to focus for more.
If you are suffering from complacency in the workplace, you will feel like this all the time, be in a permanent state of semi-awareness, and will be unable to give your work your full attention. That can spell disaster for you and your business or the company you work for.
You are less passionate
Most of us are passionate about delivering a high standard of work. However, if you become complacent, you start to lose that passion. New projects don’t excite you as they once did, and tasks which used to elicit passion from you no longer do. This can have a negative effect on your motivation and — by extension — your productivity.
You take less initiative
We often have a sense that we are working towards the next step in our career. To improve our chances of advancement, we take the initiative by learning new skills, taking on new responsibilities, or expanding our roles.
We then get satisfaction from knowing more.
However, when we are falling prey to workplace complacency, we are less likely to take initiative in this way. Instead, we stagnate and remain at our current level without trying to learn new things and improve ourselves. We do not seek to take on any additional responsibility.
You become careless
We tend to become careless when we become complacent. This is not to say that you don’t care about your work at all. Rather, the level of care you take with your work is significantly less when you are complacent than when you are not.
It’s now time to discover what we can do to overcome complacency.
6 Ways to Overcome Complacency in the Workplace
Now you know the signs you might be becoming complacent. Want to lift yourself out of the trap and begin to enjoy your work again, so that you can be happier and more productive? Read this piece on happiness and productivity for more.
Here, we’ll share what you can do to tackle this complacent attitude and improve your productivity.
Seek out others
Fight complacency by ensuring you have ongoing interaction with others, even something as simple as having lunch with colleagues or having a chat over coffee every now and again.
Don’t forget that we are social beings who thrive off and are often motivated by interaction.
Be self-aware
Self-awareness is useful in many areas of life, not just in your work and career. If you keep track of how you feel over weeks and months, you will be able to spot signs that you are becoming complacent more easily.
You could:
- Keep a weekly journal.
- Review it every month or so.
- Identify problem areas and what might be causing you to feel complacent.
- If you find that you are continually noting how boring you find work, it might be time for a change.
If you can pinpoint exactly why your attitude to work is changing, you’ll have a better idea of how to tackle it.
Seek the company of others
Getting out there and trying new things is a fantastic way to overcome complacency.
- Find a hobby.
- Get involved with your co-workers and community.
- Do something new with your friends.
By getting involved in the lives of those around us can help us feel more engaged and thus less bored with our lives.
Learn a new skill
If you find yourself stuck in a Groundhog Day cycle in which you just follow the same old routines that you’ve become so used to that tasks have become easy, challenge yourself to learn something new.
This can be an effective way to engage your brain, ignite a new interest, and avoid falling into the trap of complacency.
Switch departments and change up your routine
Some companies encourage employees to do this more often than others. If you want to develop yourself, you might want to consider switching to another department. The change you make need not be drastic, you might even just want to see a new perspective on the department you are working in. Doing so can be extremely rewarding.
Similarly, changing up your routine can help you stop becoming complacent. This can involve doing something as simple as:
- Taking a new route to work.
- Changing what you have for lunch.
- Tweaking your schedule.
This can have a particularly significant impact if you work from home.
If you have the opportunity, you can make many small changes to your routine like starting work early or taking a long walk in the fresh air before opening your laptop.
Seek feedback
Remember, however good you are at your job there is always room for improvement. Actively soliciting feedback and putting your ego to one side will help ensure you are always working to improve yourself and are therefore in no danger of becoming complacent.
Wrapping Up
Complacency in the workplace is common and there are many causes. Apart from causing problems for the company you work for, it can have a detrimental impact on the morale of those around you, which may lead to a significant drop in a company’s productivity.
Now that you know what you can do to overcome it, we hope that you feel more confident about spotting the signs so you can nip it in the bud early and remain enthusiastic and passionate about your work.
Have you struggled with workplace complacency before? How do you tackle it? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Make Your Biz Fizz 