Scott Schieman is a professor in the department of sociology at the University of Toronto. Paul Glavin is an associate professor in the department of sociology at McMaster University.
As researchers who study work, it’s no shock that our Google News feeds are brimming with work-related content. Of late, however, we’ve noticed that this coverage has become eerily similar, painting a grim picture of the workplace. News stories are rife of employees ghosting their jobs, secretly juggling side hustles and harbouring an increasing bitterness toward their bosses. Our own systematic analysis of media coverage of the Great Resignation documents the scope of the negativity.
The stories collectively suggest a relentless surge of discontent, portraying workers as either overworked and unappreciated or as opportunists always hunting for the next better thing – some even “rage applying,” eager for a take-this-job-and-shove-it moment.
But are workers genuinely that unhappy?
Delving into the numbers on job satisfaction and their correlates paints a more complex picture. While a segment of the work force isn’t thrilled about their jobs (nothing new there), a larger portion feels quite content, even fulfilled. Research, including our own, consistently shows that a majority of workers are satisfied – and that’s been stable for several decades.
Inspired by this contradiction between an increase in negative stories and hard data, we were curious if the negative news onslaught could be more than just an outlet for work-related grumbles. Is it possible that these stories get under our skin in ways that subtly rewire how we relate to work and the organizations we are part of?
We tested this idea in our study of 5,000 American workers – Measuring Employment Sentiments and Social Inequality (MESSI) – collected with the help of the research firm YouGov from Oct. 26 to Nov. 27 of 2023. We asked respondents about their news consumption and whether they encountered mostly positive or negative stories about work in the news. We also asked them how engaged and committed they were to their current employer.
Our findings revealed that individuals exposed to predominantly negative news coverage about work showed lower organizational engagement across various metrics, such as diminished pride in their employer and a reduced desire to work harder for their organization’s success. While 81 per cent of workers encountering mostly positive news about work said they were proud to work for their firm, only 54 per cent of those who had heard mostly negative news shared that favourable sentiment.
Moreover, we found that the mode of news consumption played a crucial role in how workers felt about their employer. Individuals who said that they predominantly read news articles were less engaged and committed compared with those that primarily watched news broadcasters. This was in part because news readers reported more exposure to negative stories about work. Surprisingly, we did not find lower organizational engagement among those who primarily accessed the news through social media. This finding is particularly striking, considering the widespread criticism of social media as a catalyst for spreading virally negative news stories about work and the economy.
Our discoveries also challenge the argument that discontented and disengaged workers gravitate toward negative news, seeking solace in mutual dissatisfaction. We found that even employees who are content with their jobs report less organizational engagement when most of the news they see related to work is negative.
Some may question whether this is necessarily a bad thing. Many workers struggle with poor job conditions. Perhaps the current narrative about work is helping to reorient attitudes to better fit with reality – and reduced engagement reflects this shift. We are not so sure.
By current measures, the bargaining power of American workers has increased in recent years. Wages have risen, particularly among lower-wage groups. Flexible work options are more available than before the pandemic. If there is a realignment in worker attitudes, evidence showing the factors driving this shift are missing. And, while there are undoubtedly newsworthy labour issues, such as the growth of insecure gig work, much of the news coverage of the “unhappy worker” seems to centre on work-life issues confronting employees of larger organizations, a group that has, in fact, fared relatively well in recent years. Consequently, we question whether this narrative truly aims to tackle the challenges faced by workers in disadvantaged positions.
Like the spectre of a consumer-driven recession, pervasive tales of workplace gloom may have consequences beyond merely being a sounding board for worker discontent.
Stories – negative or positive – serve as essential guideposts for helping us understand the world. Yet, when work-related narratives are saturated with negativity, repeatedly asking, “Why is everyone so unhappy at work right now?”, they risk overshadowing individual work experience. In doing so, they may be fraying the already delicate threads of connection between workers and their employers.
Our research suggest these narratives are potentially detrimental. Too many people just assume things are “bad out there.” Organizations should pay attention to the potential effect of these bad vibes on employee morale and engagement. Managers can’t control media narratives, of course, but understanding their content and possible influence may help them in creating a more supportive and realistic work narrative within their own workplace.
This column is part of Globe Careers’ Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here.