Part 1 in a series of 5
In this five-part series, Firehead takes a look at the impacts that AI transformation is having on technical communication teams – what the trends are, and how they effect technical communicators’ jobs.
Engagement with Tech Teams is Crucial to a continued Employer-Employee Relationship
A Gallup State-of-the-World Workplace Report estimates that low employee engagement costs the global economy US$8.8 trillion a year, accounting for 9% of global GDP, or rather, ‘lost’ global GDP. The majority of employees are ‘quiet quitting’, a syndrome particularly relevant to digital and technical communicators who may lack the outspokenness of other cohorts within the workplace.
Their key skills require individual concentration, focus, and often, periods of isolation, so this valuable workplace demographic attracts introverts, and they are the ones who ‘suffer in silence’.
Across the workplace in general:
- 23% are thriving at work
- 59% are ‘quiet quitting’
- 18% are ‘loud quitting’
The world’s employees are ‘quiet quitting’
‘Quiet quitters’ fill seats and clock watch, putting in minimum effort and many of these workers feel lost and disconnected from the workplace. Yet, they are considered to be the ‘low-hanging fruit’ who can be motivated and energised with some modest management changes and workplace adjustments.
The silence behind ‘quiet quitting’ is relatively easily decoded, as these employees know exactly what they would change, given the chance. Besides the more familiar grievances of pay and benefits, training features prominently in the dissatisfaction ranks:
- Employees are not given an opportunity to learn on the job
- There is no exchange of knowledge within the workplace
- No incentives or promotional opportunities are offered for upskilling
As management is the lynchpin of engagement, this Gallup report concluded that ‘change’ is the answer to staff retention. However, identifying the ingredients causing the lack of engagement requires a proactive approach to individual interaction, and that, in turn, often means retraining teams and management personnel.
(Obviously, it’s more challenging to monitor and engage with contractors and remote workers – that’s a separate topic that we will address outside of this blog post.)
Read the full Gallup report here
The takewaway: While rapid technological change is proving a challenge, thankfully, technology is also making learning and accessing upskilling courses more accessible. It’s democratising a process that was previously confined to high-level executives and spotlighted staff, at the expense of support teams, contractors and freelancers.
Today, training is digital, so everyone can access top-quality trainers and courses on demand from anywhere.
