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Careers
‘Social loafing’ is the damaging trend that might be happening in your workplace – here’s what to do about it
By Ellen Scott
2 years ago
7 min read
Have you noticed that when it comes to working as a team, there’s always someone who puts in much less effort than everyone else? That’s social loafing, and it’s deeply irritating.
Before we get into this, perhaps you should take a deep, calming breath. Slowly in, slowly out. Why? Because what we’re about to explore is a seriously aggravating behaviour. The type that makes your skin itch and your blood boil. And we’re going to start with an anecdote. Ready?
OK, so you’re hard at work, busier than you’ve ever been, pulling late nights and generally working flat out. If you keep trudging on like this, you’ll likely be on the way to burnout, but what can you do? The work needs to get done, so you’ll just battle on. We’re all in this together, right?
Except… wait a minute. Your colleague over there doesn’t seem anywhere near as busy. In fact, they appear to be entirely relaxed and doing very little. Come to think of it, they’ve been coasting for quite some time, lazing about and putting in minimal effort because they know you’ll pick up the slack.
This is social loafing: a psychological phenomenon that sees someone putting in less effort when they’re judged as part of a group. And if you’ve witnessed it, you’ll know just how infuriating it can be.
Social loafing happens when someone is unengaged
Most of us first notice social loafing in school, when we’re put on a group project and notice that some of our classmates will put their feet up in the knowledge that they’ll still get a good grade thanks to the rest of their team. But it can happen in the workplace, too – not only in group project scenarios but day-to-day, when the goals are collective and a co-worker can get away with doing less because the bosses are looking only at the group’s end result.
“Most professionals will have worked on projects where they feel they’re carrying more of the workload than their colleagues, whether it’s others being under-prepared for a team meeting, missing deadlines as part of a group project or not providing information when needed,” LinkedIn careers expert Charlotte Davies tells Stylist.
“There are many reasons as to why social loafing occurs, and it’s often not as simple as someone looking to do less work. It can be because an individual feels their contributions aren’t valued or being recognised, or they feel underqualified or not experienced enough to contribute. Or perhaps individuals are feeling overwhelmed or burnt out.”
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Beth Stallwood, a career coach and the author of WorkJoy: A Toolkit For A Better Working Life, says: “If one person is loafing and getting away with it, the rest of the team is usually being overworked and under-recognised. This can lead to massive team disengagement, and the follow on from that is poor productivity, a blame culture and, ultimately, great employees voting with their feet and going somewhere they feel more valued.”
So it’s clear that social loafing is something we want to prevent… how do we do that?
How to tackle social loafing at work
Watch out for people who don’t feel challenged
Often social loafers aren’t loafing just because they want to mess everyone about… it’s because they’ve become completely disengaged with work.
“Social loafing happens because someone is unengaged with the work they are doing or with their workplace,” Stallwood says. “If you’re a manager, look out for people who aren’t being challenged; perhaps they haven’t been promoted or seem out of step with the culture of the organisation. These people are likely to be experiencing what I call ‘workgloom’ and haven’t engaged with the idea that they are ultimately responsible for changing [their situation].”
Don’t jump to judgment
It’s tempting to think the social loafer on your team is, to put it bluntly, an inconsiderate knob. Try to avoid going straight to that place of judgment and anger, and instead consider why it might appear that someone isn’t putting in the amount of effort you would like.
“As a manager, I’d also be on the lookout for your own reactions and judgement,” Stallwood recommends. “Are you labelling someone lazy when they might be on the cusp of burnout? Sometimes people have so much going on outside of work that engaging inside work is just too much for them. Social loafing and burnout can look similar, but the source – and the solution – is very different.”
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Talk to your boss
Don’t seethe in silence. If you feel like you’re constantly picking up extra workload because someone else isn’t pulling their weight, make sure to flag this to your manager sharpish.
“Social loafing continues to happen because it isn’t called out,” Stallwood notes. “More diligent colleagues don’t want to be seen to complain about the social loafers on their teams.”
Davies adds: “Seeking support from your manager can help, and encouraging regular, open conversations as a team allows others to speak about the challenges they’re facing to complete a task or project without having to directly call out a colleague and means that any issues with the team dynamic can be addressed early on. It also gives managers a chance to give individual recognition which can improve personal motivation to contribute to a group.”
Define expectations
To prevent social loafing, clarity is key. Do you have clear job descriptions that define your individual responsibilities? When you’re working on a group project, does everyone know exactly what they need to contribute?
“At the start of each project, make sure you’re clear on your own roles and responsibilities, and your colleagues are clear on theirs,” Davies advises. “Knowing what you’re expected to pick up, and by when, can help reduce the chances of social loafing within a team. You can also view this as a great opportunity to harness your leadership skills by helping colleagues manage their deadlines and meet their goals.”
Have a conversation with the loafer
“If you have a good relationship with the person, have a conversation with them in an ‘Is everything OK?’ kind of way,” Stallwood suggests. “Start from a place of empathy. Share what you’ve noticed without judgement and ask them if they recognise your observations. Listen to what’s going on for them – inside and outside work – and support this where you can.”
Encourage open communication
If you’re in a leadership position, make sure that you’re creating an environment where employees can feel comfortable raising the issue of unequal workloads.
Davies notes: “Managers should create regular opportunities for their employees to feedback their experiences, and employees should ensure they’re making the most of these If you’re the team member shouldering additional responsibility and you’re comfortable, speak to your colleague directly. Exercising a degree of understanding and compassion goes a long way and so it’s worth considering that your colleagues might have something else going on you’re unaware of.”
Set boundaries
“If you’re willing to pick up some slack, set a boundary about what you will do for them and for how long,” says Stallwood. “Keep your boss in the loop about this. Not in a tattle-tale way, but rather an ‘I’m doing this for the team and you should know about it’ way. If the scope starts creeping beyond what everyone has agreed, it’s time to get more serious.”
Recognise individual effort
We’re all one big team, sure, but bosses should make sure they’re praising people who deliver great work on an individual level.
“Recognising and appreciating when an individual has contributed to a task creates a sense of worth and empowerment in a team,” says Davies. “If your team members feel they are being recognised for their hard work and commitment, they are likely to be more motivated.”
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