UK economy loses $326Bn due to ‘quiet quitters’ – Gallup study
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — A new Gallup study reveals that the United Kingdom economy lost over £257 billion ($326 billion) in potential output last year due to disengaged workers or “quiet quitters,” affecting the country’s ongoing productivity crisis.
“The dangerous threat to the UK economy right now is a workforce that has essentially given up, and the politics are not making that any easier,” said Jeremie Brecheisen, UK managing partner at Gallup.
He added that workers feel abandoned by politicians to deal with the consequences of events like Brexit.
UK workforce engagement plummets to record low
The research shows a stark decline in worker motivation over the past decade, with only one in ten UK employees now classified as “engaged” at work. This figure represents a significant reversal for the UK, which boasted the second-highest proportion of engaged workers among G7 nations in the early 2010s.
Now, Britain’s engagement levels have fallen below both G7 and European averages and well short of the global figure of 23%.
The United States faces a similar problem, with workforce engagement declining to its lowest point in over a decade. As of early 2024, 4.8 million fewer employees felt engaged in their roles.
The rise of ‘quiet quitting’ and its economic impact
The study highlights the prevalence of “quiet quitters“—employees who do the bare minimum at work instead of being actively engaged. This lack of motivation, combined with lost output and potential, could be costing the UK 11% of its GDP.
The research also found that a lack of clarity around job responsibilities is a major driver of low engagement. While poor management plays a role, the UK’s situation has been worsened by a series of shocks, including Brexit, the pandemic, and ongoing economic uncertainty.
Challenges ahead with upcoming general election
Despite scoring well on some measures, such as experiencing 40% or lower daily stress than the European average, the UK faces significant challenges.
A demotivated workforce makes it harder to attract and retain skilled workers, potentially eroding the country’s appeal to top talent.
“There’s still a lot of things that are very attractive about the UK but the risk in the future is that this starts to erode the employee value brand of the country,” Brecheisen said.
“The best and brightest are not going want to come to England if this is a terrible place to work, they’re much more likely to want to go to Canada or America or Germany or somewhere else where they know it’s going to mean better work experience.”
The Gallup study emerges at a crucial time: just ahead of the general election on July 4, in which voters may end the 14-year Conservative rule.
This period of uncertainty further underscores the challenges any incoming government will face, particularly those related to revitalizing the economy and improving living standards.
