In light of the last two years, it makes sense that employees want to work for organizations that have a clear vision for the future, with a focus on relationships and effective communication. As we shared in an earlier Wiley Workplace Research article, employees said that when those things are present, they are less stressed and more productive. Conversely, employees who work for an organization that lacks direction and has poor communication feel higher levels of stress and are less productive, which could lead to employee burnout.

Burnout, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job, feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job, and reduced professional efficacy, is a huge problem for organizations. It can lead to turnover, disengagement, and loss of productivity. It’s an even bigger problem for people because it can cause a lack of fulfillment, exhaustion, and poor performance. The instability and chaos of the pandemic, followed by sudden staffing shortages caused by The Great Resignation, have only increased these feelings, and has led to a recent phenomenon called “Quiet Quitting.”

Originating on the social media platform TikTok, the concept of Quiet Quitting was that burned-out employees declared that they were no longer going to go above and beyond for organizations that have not prioritized people in the years since the pandemic and subsequently, The Great Resignation. Many employees who decide to quiet quit have been tasked with doing the jobs of multiple people and working extra hours with less communication from organizational leadership, often with no added compensation or benefits to match the increased workload and stress. In fact, Quiet Quitting is a bit of a misnomer, as individuals are not quitting their jobs, but instead are embracing more healthy boundaries around their work lives as a result of burnout.

As firm believers that an organization’s true potential lies within its people, we wanted to learn more about the causes of burnout, its pervasiveness, and how to help organizations create a culture that engages and supports employees – no Quiet Quitting needed.

To have a better understanding, we asked 5,014 professionals, individual contributors, and C-suite executives alike, about burnout. The results are alarming, with 97% experiencing some level of work-related stress and a shocking 86% reporting feelings of burnout. That’s why we’ve dedicated an entire series to this topic. Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing our research findings around employee burnout, so that you can take actionable steps to reduce its impact on your organization.

What Causes Burnout?

While there are many sources that can lead to feelings of burnout, we found that having rapidly shifting priorities can be a key driver. Of course, it’s natural for organizational priorities to change based on demand or need. During the pandemic, many organizations were compelled to pivot and reexamine their business models and strategies, and in the aftermath of The Great Resignation, they have had to adjust to an almost constantly changing workforce. With all of these rapid changes being implemented over the past few years, employees feel the pace has yet to slow down and are often tasked with taking on job responsibilities outside the scope of their role to make up for the loss of people and positions. In fact, 63% of the people we surveyed felt the amount of change and initiatives within their organization had increased since last year. The sheer number of priorities, often contradictory or competing, make it challenging for employees to effectively support and implement new company strategies.

On top of the increased number of priorities, employees feel like they are being kept in the dark about what’s happening at a leadership level. Almost half of employees surveyed said leadership failed to communicate prior to executing changes in strategy. What’s interesting is that 60% of the executives in our survey felt these changes were communicated, which highlights a well-known insight: It’s not always a lack of communication, but rather a disconnect between how information is presented and how it is received. This misunderstanding can unintentionally bolster feelings of stress or employee burnout.

Managers Set the Tone – and Need Support

Managers are expected to pivot and implement changes to meet the diverse demands of their organization. To do this, they need to not only understand leadership priorities and changes in strategy but also how to communicate them effectively while engaging a potentially stressed and overwhelmed workforce. They must also be prepared to support the implementation of these new initiatives so they can effectively lead their teams through change and reduce the risk of employee burnout throughout the process by creating a culture that engages employees instead of alienating them.

In our survey, only half of managers said they knew why shifts in priorities and changes in strategy were being made. This lack of clarity risks amplifying feelings of uncertainty and confusion, increasing the risk of wasted time, strained relationships, and lowered team performance. Managers are stressed, and they continue to need support to be effective at their jobs. They are facing constant pressure to perform despite the increased workloads, constant changes, understaffed teams, and inadequate communication from leadership which can lead to feelings that precipitate the decision to Quiet Quit. This, coupled with an unclear understanding of how they are expected to implement strategic changes within their teams has not only given rise to manager burnout but likely added to feelings of burnout among their team members.

It’s clear that employees and managers alike are experiencing burnout for a variety of reasons. Although it is doubtful that the pace of change is going to slow down anytime soon, there are steps you can take to reduce systemic burnout in your organization.

How to Reduce Burnout and Prevent Quiet Quitting

First, real-time agility and adaptation to change should be skills that are valued and promoted within your organization. Having a solid and well-considered rollout plan when it comes to new strategies is also recommended. Organizations can simplify and clarify changes in their strategy by taking a “less is more” approach. While there are many ways to achieve clarity, we suggest changes be conceptualized within the framework of the company’s vision and values. When people see the connection between new initiatives and the overall company vision, they’re more likely to understand and support the new plans.

Once changes in strategy have been aligned with the company’s vision and initiatives, they must be shared with all employees using an effective communication plan. The plan should include opportunities to share your message across multiple channels and with proper consistency. In this case, repetition is key to reaching as many employees as possible.

Another way to manage employee burnout amid constant change is by shaping a culture of connectedness, not just to the strategy but to each other. Our research revealed that two-thirds of employees feel there is a lack of cohesion in their organization due to rapidly shifting priorities and this constant change leaves many feeling directionless and alone – a key factor in why people choose to Quiet Quit. Leadership must ensure that there is a culture of interconnectedness, so employees feel supported and engaged with their organization and their people.

With clear communication, engagement, and agility organizations can create cultures that promote connectedness while preventing the burnout that has the potential to lead to Quiet Quitting. When we focus on creating clarity of vision, effective communication, and a cohesive culture, employees are less likely to burn out, allowing productivity and collaboration to flourish.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.

There has been a lot of attention paid to the increasing number of generations currently in the workforce. From the tech-savvy and ambitious Gen Z-ers to the more analogue and experienced baby boomers, with Gen X and millennials in between, the differing needs of the generations have been a hot topic in the world of learning and development.

Wiley Workplace Intelligence sought to get to the bottom of how one’s generation informs their experience at work. Do these differing areas of skill and interest cause conflict? Or does the wide breadth of influence and expertise have the potential to come together to create more powerful, diverse, and cohesive organizations?

Let’s dig into the research. We surveyed 2010 people to understand more about the generational makeup of the current workforce and how each group experiences life at work. The results were surprising. While we found that there were reported differences between the generations, in most cases they weren’t as vastly different as one would think. In fact, the picture we got from our research is that despite all the hype we are a lot more alike than we may think. Read on to learn what that means for you and your organization.

The Generational Makeup

Our respondents (53% of whom are people managers) were asked to select which generation they belonged to based on their birth year. Millennials (also known as Generation Y, but for the purposes of this article will be referred to as the more commonly used term millennial) and Gen X make up the majority of the workforce with a combined total of 84%. This majority makes sense as many baby boomers have already entered retirement and the younger members of Gen Z have not yet joined the workforce.

Mental Health Concerns Impact Gen Z and Millennials Most, Baby Boomers Least

Having come of age in the post 9/11 world and not knowing life without the internet, Gen Z is growing up in a uniquely different era than earlier generations. While it is hard to define the specific cause, the dominance of social media, economic and global instability, and a worldwide pandemic during their formative years may play a role in the 29% of Gen Z employees that reported their mental health impacted their ability to perform their work a moderate-to-great deal. Millennials were not far behind with 23% reporting a moderate-to-great impact on their ability to perform their work.

A whopping 77% of baby boomers responded “not at all” when asked if their mental health impacted their ability to perform their work. While it would be easy to assume that the older generations feel less societal pressure and have more stability due to their age and status thus reducing their likelihood of mental health struggles, that can’t be certain. Older generations were also raised with different norms around sharing emotions and the discourse around mental health was not as common which could potentially impact their comfort around sharing this kind of information.

Gen Z and Baby Boomers Report Higher Levels of Hostile Work Environments

Interestingly, both Gen Z and baby boomer respondents reported that a hostile work environment impacted their ability to perform work equally at 24%, followed by millennials at 22%. Common drivers of a hostile work environment are a lack of communication, destructive conflict, poor work/life balance, and a lack of trust between colleagues.

While Gen Z and baby boomers reported having the most experience with hostile work environments, all generations ranked within a five-point range. This speaks to the fact that addressing common workplace struggles that lead to burnout and hostile work environments can go a long way in creating better organizational cultures.

Older Generations Report the Strongest Desire for Meaning at Work

Despite some of the stereotypes about younger generations and their often-lofty idealism, our research showed that surprisingly, Gen X and baby boomers reported the highest levels of priority around having a personally fulfilling job versus a job that pays well.

While the older generations reported the highest numbers, the majority of all respondents said they agree-to-strongly-agree that personal fulfillment at work trumps a big paycheck. Creating organizations that encourage accountability, trust, and allow everyone to be a leader regardless of their role or title, can go a long way to creating meaning at work. When individuals are treated as more than cogs in the wheel of business, they will be more inclined to find fulfillment, no matter their age.

Middle Generations Are the Driving Force Behind Work/Life Balance

While work/life balance has been an area of focus for many organizations over the past few years, the highest numbers of Gen Z and millennials reported having a job that prioritizes work/life balance is essential.

This may be for a number of reasons but is most likely due to the factors that give this age group the moniker “the sandwich generation.” Many in this age group are caring for both aging parents and children simultaneously, demanding that their attention be focused on multiple places at once. For this group work/life balance is not only a nice-to-have, but a necessity as they manage their home lives and careers.

All Generations Report Feeling Understood by Each Other

Incredibly, the vast majority of respondents reported feeling understood by colleagues of all ages. While there are obviously differences in the way that each generation was raised, from the world events that shaped them to the cultural understanding around work norms, our research points to a large amount of understanding between the generations, with Gen Xers topping out at 93%.

This is an amazing insight, and perhaps surprising, given the noise that has been made about the differences between generations at work.

Whatever generation you belong to, this research assures that while we all may have slightly different styles and priorities that we largely have more in common than we may think and given the right tools organizations can bring this cohesion and understanding to the next level.

Whether it is with facilitated learning experiences designed to help your people better understand themselves and others, or team building exercises that build trust and teamwork, organizations can create positive experiences, with meaning, for employees of all ages.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, the success of an organization hinges on the strength and effectiveness of its teams. High-performing teams don’t just happen by chance; they are intentionally cultivated and nurtured through shared behaviors and values. One of the most influential frameworks in team development is the New York Times best-seller, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, introduced by renowned author and organizational consultant Patrick Lencioni. With more than 4 million copies sold and a trusted model, it is the definitive guide for building high-performing teams worldwide.

Here’s a bit about the power of The Five Behaviors^®:

The Five Behaviors model offers a comprehensive approach to cultivating teams by building trust, fostering healthy conflict, promoting commitment, ensuring accountability, and achieving collective results. It provides a roadmap for teams to not only achieve their goals but to thrive and excel in their performance.

Are you ready to take your team to new heights? Let’s begin our exploration of The Five Behaviors and discover the transformative power they hold in creating highly cohesive and successful teams. In this blog series, we will dive deep into each of The Five Behaviors, exploring their importance, practical implementation strategies, and the transformative impact they can have on team dynamics. Before we do that, let’s take a high-level look at each behavior and how it can help your teams rise together:

TRUST

The foundational behavior of a cohesive team is trust. Although many people think of trust as the ability to predict a person’s behavior based on experience, that’s not what we’re talking about here. Rather, in the context of a cohesive team, trust means a willingness to be completely vulnerable with one another—to let down our guard, admit our flaws, and ask for help.

 

CONFLICT

Conflict is often considered taboo, especially at work, and people may spend inordinate amounts of time and energy trying to avoid the kind of passionate debates that are essential to any great team. However, teams that are willing to engage in productive conflict tend to resolve issues and create the best possible solutions in the shortest period of time.

By productive conflict, we mean debate that’s focused on concepts and ideas but avoids mean-spirited, personal attacks.

 

COMMITMENT

If team members don’t commit, they’re just half-heartedly going along with decisions, which means they’re unlikely to have the kind of alignment necessary to reach their goals. In the context of a cohesive team, commitment means having clarity around decisions and moving forward with complete buy-in from every member of the team, even those who initially disagreed with the decision.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Once everyone on a team is committed to a clear plan of action, they will be more willing to hold one another accountable. In the context of teamwork, accountability is the willingness of team members to call their peers on performance or behaviors that might hurt the team. Accountability can be one of the toughest behaviors to implement on a team because it means overcoming the interpersonal discomfort that accompanies confronting peers about their behavior. However, with practice and a foundation of trust, having accountability becomes easier and helps teams grow.

RESULTS

The ultimate goal of encouraging trust, conflict, commitment, and accountability is to achieve results. And yet, as it turns out, one of the greatest challenges to team success is inattention to results. In the context of a cohesive team, results refer to the collective goals of the team; they are not limited to financial measures but are more broadly related to expectations and outcome-based performance.

Whether you are a leader or an individual contributor, understanding and embracing these behaviors will unlock the true potential of your team. We look forward to embarking on a journey through The Five Behaviors, where you will gain invaluable insights, practical tips, and real-world examples that will empower you to foster a culture of cohesion, trust, and excellence within your own team.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.

DiSC^® is a highly memorable and valuable tool both in the workplace and in personal life. However, the real value comes when participants learn to keep using it beyond the classroom!

To ensure the DiSC principles achieve their full potential, it’s the facilitator’s job to ensure that this journey of learning is continued and applied on an ongoing basis, to integrate it as part of an organization’s culture.

Why DiSC Fades

Many organizations adopt DiSC, deliver a workshop or two, then move on. The reasons it fades include:

• Lack of reinforcement in daily work

• No ownership or accountability (no internal certified user to support learners after the initial experience)

• No mechanisms to refresh or revisit insights

• Poor alignment between DiSC language and organizational practices

To avoid that, we need a deliberate, sustained approach.

Thankfully for us, DiSC is designed for deepened, ongoing learning. The following hints and tips are some of the ways that certified DiSC users can encourage their clients to continue using DiSC.

1. Start with leadership alignment and modeling
   Leaders must use DiSC language, demonstrate adaptability, and model desired behaviors themselves. When they discuss style differences, others will take notice.

2. Embed DiSC into existing routines
   Use DiSC talk in 1:1s, team meetings, project debriefs, performance reviews, and hiring conversations.

3. Use visual cues and reminders
   Posters, desk cards, digital background images — small cues can trigger style awareness in everyday workflows. Contact us and we’ll be happy to share different materials with you.

4. Run periodic “refresh” workshops or micro-sessions
   Even 30–60 minute refreshers help — revisit cornerstone DiSC principles, share stories of how you’ve used DiSC with others, etc.

5. Encourage peer-to-peer sharing of “style hacks”
   Ask people to share small adjustments they made based on DiSC and their outcomes.

6. Integrate DiSC into development processes
   Make DiSC part of development processes and programs — use it in recruitment, onboarding, leadership development, or coaching.

7. Use DiSC in change initiatives and conflict resolution
   When designing a change rollout, consider style differences in communication, pacing, and involvement. Utilize DiSC to navigate and resolve conflicts by understanding the different motivations and fears of the conflicting parties.

8. DiSC® Profiles Display
   Encourage employees to display their DiSC style somewhere visible, like on their desk, office door or any social platform. This acts as a constant reminder of the diverse communication styles within the team.

9. DiSC Champions
   Designate DiSC champions within your organization who are passionate about the framework and can promote its use in various departments. Consider sending at least one member of a team to the DiSC® Certification program to get further expertise and increase the value your organization gets from DiSC.

10. Leverage a dynamic digital platform — Catalyst

Everything DiSC^® Catalyst gives you a living, evolving environment to keep DiSC fresh:

• Participants can view not only their own style but compare with others — fosters empathy and dialogue

• Unlimited group maps let you visualize team style dynamics and surface conversations

• Micro-learning content keeps knowledge bite-sized and digestible

• Modules like Management, Worksmart, and Agile EQ layer further depth without needing new assessments

• Administrators can assign learning content, track activity, and manage groups easily

• Learners can revisit insights over time and apply them to new situations

Catalyst turns DiSC from a single event into a continuous development journey.

Finally, always remember that communication is key! It is what DiSC is all about – effective communication and improved understanding! Therefore, leading by example is key, whether you are a facilitator or a leader in an organization. Being open and transparent with regard to DiSC, acknowledging everyone’s value, and reinforcing the Cornerstone Principles are key to creating a positive DiSC experience, both during your session and keeping DiSC alive long-term.

In this educational video, Dr. Mark Scullard, Sr. Director of Product Innovation at Wiley, helps viewers understand emotional intelligence and sheds light on why it can be so challenging to make good decisions in social or emotionally-charged situations.

We really recommend taking those 15 minutes to watch Mark speak.

• When an individual took it right before or after a big life event
• When an individual took it in their non-native language
• When an individual was distracted when they took it
• When an individual took it more than 3 years ago and has changed work roles
• When an individual was not authentic in their responses the first time that they completed the assessment
• When an individual is transitioning to a new career or work environment
• When an individual is working on personal growth or development

Here’s a hard business truth: no workplace is free of the ravages of distrust. Anyone who’s ever held a job knows the frustrations that emerge when coworkers don’t trust each other – the miscommunications, rivalries, inefficiencies, morale problems, and turnover that in the end distract people from their work and make life stressful. And ultimately, research shows, costs money.

Dr. Mark Scullard, a Ph.D. psychologist who serves as senior director of product innovation for Wiley, has studied distrust in the workplace and found its source: individual insecurity. It’s not insecurity itself that’s the problem, though; it’s our drive to cover it up.

This webinar recording offers you a deeper dive into:

– What insecurity looks like in the workplace
– How DiSC® can help us understand the hidden psychological factors that drive our insecurities
– What you can do to address insecurity’s drain on your company culture

Watch the webinar here: