Zombie At Work: Worker’s Or Company’s Fault?

The zombie at work is present in any professional context. We can recognize him right away because he always appears to be very busy when, in fact, all he does is delegate responsibilities to others. This type of employee is ineffective, doesn’t know how to work in teams, but manages to gain the trust of their bosses to create environments that are as toxic as they are unproductive, in which they survive perfectly.

It is necessary to add one more concept to the terminology referring to the professional world of institutions: the working dead or the zombie at work. Initially, we might think that this label represents all employees who work a large number of hours and who, little by little, end up being automated by excessive tasks, low motivation and little recognition or remuneration.

However, there is a clear difference between saturated workers and those who simply wander around the company appearing to demonstrate one thing: productivity. There are those who believe that this low performance is the result, mainly, of the zombie’s limited commitment to work. However, anyone who has analyzed this type of behavior has other issues in mind . Why do companies maintain this type of profile working at the institution?

It is worth saying, first of all, that we are not referring exclusively to public administration officials. We also talk about all the  people who are in offices, universities, factories and any type of company where they survive as rare birds. How do they do it, what strategies and characteristics define them?

How to recognize the zombie at work?

In 2004 a Gallup survey was conducted to assess the commitment of several companies in the United States and Europe. The results revealed something that experts defined as a “cultural and business crisis”.

Almost 64% of employees declared that they do not feel committed to their work or to the objective of the organization they are part of. The only objective is to fulfill your working day and receive a salary. According to them, this is due to low recognition of their value and poor relationship with superiors.

Of the remaining 36%, 15% already recognize themselves as zombies at work. Companies are aware of their presence and, although many consider them “bad apples” (elements that transmit low productivity in the company), others understand that it is common to have people of this type in the work environment.

Kevin Daum, famous writer, business expert and columnist for Smart Business Magazine, defines the zombie at work as a careless profile that should be paid more attention. Sometimes, the company itself ignores that this type of person is the one that most interferes with productivity and a good work environment. These would be its characteristics.

The 5 characteristics of the zombie at work

• Leaves work before hours. He always does. The shift isn’t over yet and he’s already calmly arranging his things. What’s more, he is proud of his attitude, considering that his behavior is acceptable.

• Loves gossip. This is perhaps one of his main motivations at work: knowing the gossip, feeding on it and spreading it.
• It is who always brings the negative news. The zombie at work has the ability to know everything, but especially what has a negative component: cuts, problems, fines…
• No timing issues. This profile so common in professional organizations has no problem with time. He always arrives late, takes longer breaks than usual, and doesn’t hesitate to leave early.
• No ambitions. The zombie at work is not without talents or skills. However, it lacks ambitions. Your only goal is to survive on the job and let time pass. This attitude of “doing nothing in the morning and letting the afternoon pass” confuses other people and makes them uncomfortable. This becomes a disruptive focus for the entire environment.

Why do companies allow zombie presence at work?

We started to draw attention to this at the beginning. The presence of the zombie at work is common anywhere, both in the public and private sectors. Why is this permissiveness due to a figure who may end up being a model to be followed by others? Well, it is worth noting, first of all, that not all companies allow the continuation of these behaviors that, in the long term, harm the organizations’ own image and productivity.

However, a large part of the large network of companies has this type of profile. The cause of this reality can be attributed to two very specific factors.

• First, companies themselves do not always have professional performance identification systems. Furthermore, not all bosses are aware of this type of profile. Most zombies at work are nice to everyone and rarely provoke direct conflicts.

• The second aspect may be a little more troubling. The reason? The company manager himself can be a zombie at work. Believe it or not, companies are full of these people who advocate functionality, not innovation. They prefer docile people who don’t cause problems, who limit themselves to “being”, who don’t protest, who don’t bring ideas, who don’t propose changes.

To conclude, whether we like it or not, zombies at work will live with us as long as work policies do not change and there is no real commitment to efficiency and the enhancement of the skills of each worker. In the meantime, we must try to avoid being infected by this virus and this attitude.