The words they are a-changing
The world of human resources (or “people”) is fond of inventing new terms to describe trends in the workplace. Busy HR professionals in the NHS often do not have time to keep up with latest terminology so as we begin 2025, it might be helpful to have a handy reference guide for the main terms that have been used to describe challenges in staff engagement challenges from the previous year.
Post-pandemic there was a lot of discussion on the concept of the “Great Resignation”, where employers would see a surge in staff leaving. It was argued that many staff had delayed leaving decisions during the pandemic out of loyalty to their colleagues.
In 2024, we also saw the continued usage of the term "quiet quitting". As the labour market tightened in many sectors it was argued there was evidence that disaffected employees were withdrawing discretionary effort and not working over contracted hours or outside their job descriptions. Evidence on this was mixed: while there was a fall in staff reporting working unpaid hours over their contracted hours - this was especially the case for nurses - over half of staff still reported working beyond their contracted hours.
In the middle of the year as there was reference to "rage quitting". This refers to employers leaving rather comply with enforced return to office working for employees that had been allowed to work at home. Because home-based working is not as widespread in the NHS "rage quitting" did not seem to be prevalent as in other sectors.
In its most recent review of evidence from the USA labour market Gallup has used the term the "Great Disenchantment", arguing that a large number of staff feel stuck in their jobs but are unable to leave due to a less buoyant labour market and this is resulting in a rise in disengagement, lower productivity and less support for change. The evidence on this largely comes from the Gallup staff engagement survey tool which recorded a fall in its measure of connection between employee and job. Employees continue to look for new jobs at a higher rate than in the past even though they may not leave. It is not clear if this will affect the NHS which has historically had very high levels of staff motivation and feeling of connection to the wider purpose. The NHS Staff Survey data 2023 will be a source of data on this. In 2024 in the NHS leaver rates improved and there was a fall in staff thinking of leaving in the 2023 NHS Staff Survey data.
Gallup recommends action to address detachment including:
- have collaborative conversations with staff to set clear and reasonable workload expectations
- help employees understand the connection between their role and the overall purpose of the organisation.
NHS Employers has distilled a dozen key lessons on effective staff engagement from analysis of data and discussion with most improved trusts. These are contained in our most recent document NHS staff engagement: The dozen dos of staff engagement.
While the terminology used to discuss staff engagement challenges may change, the importance of understanding your data, listening to and acting on concerns of staff remains the same. Our new case study with North Bristol NHS Trust outlines how the organisation did this.
Trusts should be getting or have already got their initial 2024 NHS Staff Survey results soon and can begin their planning now. For more information on NHS work on staff engagement please get in touch.
