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‘Employed AF’: 50 Hilariously And Painfully Relatable Memes About Work (New Pics)
After going up in recent years, employee engagement in the U.S. saw its first annual decline in a decade, dropping from 36% in 2020 to 34% in 2021, according to Gallup data.
This pattern has continued into early 2022, as 32% of full- and part-time employees working for organizations were engaged, while 17% are actively disengaged, an increase of one percentage point from the previous year.
The researchers said that some of the elements that decreased the most during this period were people's level of agreement that they have clear expectations, the right materials and equipment, the opportunity to do what they do best every day, and a connection to the mission or purpose of their organization.
But to get a better understanding of how these factors manifest in real life, let's take a look at the Instagram account 'Employed AF.' It shares memes about the struggles in jobs from all sorts of industries, hilariously describing what it's like to be a part of the modern workforce.
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Employers should take note of these memes too. In a perfect world, they should be aware of their workers' emotional state. "Disengaged, unhappy people aren't any fun to work with, don't add much value, and impact our organizations (and our economy) in profoundly negative ways," says Annie McKee, who is a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and the director of the PennCLO Executive Doctoral Program.
"It's even worse when leaders are disengaged because they infect others with their attitude. Their emotions and mindset impact others' moods and performance tremendously. After all, how we feel is linked to what and how we think. In other words, thought influences emotion, and emotion influences thinking."
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STress (I/me) 2 years ago
That's why they call it "a job". Otherwise, it'd be named "a hobby"...
#4
Premislaus de Colo 2 years ago
This phrase actually means "Once you accumulate enough weath, accumulating even more does not make you happy". It's being exploited to make us feel complacent with what we have so that the elites can have more
McKee believes that it's time to finally blow up the myth that feelings don't matter at work.
"Science is on our side," she says. "There are clear neurological links between feelings, thoughts, and actions. When we are in the grip of strong negative emotions, it's like having blinders on. We focus mostly — sometimes only — on the source of the pain. We don't process information as well, think creatively, or make good decisions. Frustration, anger, and stress cause an important part of us to shut down —the thinking, engaged part. Disengagement is a natural neurological and psychological response to pervasive negative emotions."
#7
Michael Largey 2 years ago
Every so often, talk to your bosses when you're in an extra good mood. It will confuse and frighten them and made them wonder what you know that they don't.
#8
VioletHunter 2 years ago
Smart grandma. Everyone should have separate accounts though. They don't even have to be secret.
#9
Cat Palmer 2 years ago
For some reason this reminded me of the time I was in a whole company Zoom meeting and the cat started digging to Australia in her litter tray so I muted myself to yell at her to [poop] more quietly and discovered that the host had muted everyone and I had unmuted myself so the entire company heard me yelling at the cat about sh****ng, so if anyone wants me I'll be here dying of embarrassment at the memory.
Over the span of a few years, McKee and her team at the Teleos Leadership Institute have set out to study dozens of organizations and interviewed thousands of people.
Their findings about the links between people's feelings and engagement are fascinating. "There are clear similarities in what people say they want and need, no matter where they are from, whom they work for, or what they do," she explains. "We often assume that there are huge differences across industries and around the world but the research challenges that assumption."
#11
Vasana Phong 2 years ago
When ever a boss goes” can I speak to you in my office “, of course your heart rate is going to go up, so saying that beforehand is just wonderful
#12
Alex Davis 2 years ago
I know some companies that do sort of 'school trips' with their employees. One place I worked at we went on a water sports day out and learnt all about the reservoir we were at worked and then got to have fun doing various water sports or land based activities for those who didn't want water. Should happen more often imo, was great none forced team bonding. We also did bowling, trips to national trust places and all sorts. They weren't compulsory but everyone went. Staff moral was so high and I'm still friends with many 10+ years later!
#13
detective miller's hat 2 years ago
If I don't say some version of this at least once a day, am I even doing my job?
To be fully engaged and happy, virtually everyone told the researchers they wanted three things, starting with a meaningful vision of the future.
"When people talked with our ... team about what was working or not in their organizations, and what helped or hindered them the most, they talked about vision," McKee shared.
"People want to be able to see the future and know how they fit in. And, as we know from our work with Richard Boyatzis on intentional change, people learn and change when they have a personal vision that is linked to an organizational vision."
Sadly, far too many leaders do not paint a very compelling vision of the future and they don’t communicate well. This is a major reason why they lose people.
#15
Then, there's a sense of purpose. "People want to feel as if their work matters, and that their contributions help to achieve something really important," McKee continued.
"And except for those at the tippy top, shareholder value isn’t a meaningful goal that excites and engages them. They want to know that they — and their organizations — are doing something big that matters to other people."
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#19
Chihuahua Mama 2 years ago
It's quite traumatizing actually. Especially on those cold winter mornings
#21
detective miller's hat 2 years ago
I was kind of hoping for some grey at my temples at this point so I can finally look like an Adult. 39, none have shown up yet.
Finally, we have great relationships. According to McKee, people join an organization and leave a boss, so a dissonant relationship with your superior is downright painful.
But so too are bad relationships with colleagues. Leaders, managers, and employees have all told the researchers that close, trusting, and supportive relationships are hugely important to their state of mind — and their willingness to contribute to a team.
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Gustav Gallifrey 2 years ago
And the people in charge seem to be the ones who are worst at 'winging it'.
#24
Emotions matter a lot at work, and happiness is important to everyone. To find out more about the stuff that gets in its way, open up our previous publication on the 'Employed AF' Instagram account.
#29
Igor914624 2 years ago
From a 30 year IT vet... thank you for the appreciation. And I love the "Tech Daddy" moniker.
#30
Passerby 2 years ago (edited)
I teach online, and I sometimes use those 3 minutes to ponder whether I should quickly use the toilet, or hold it in for a while so I have a legitimate excuse to have a small break during the class. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching, but it can be so tedious at times, especially when it is at the end of the day and I have been teaching for 5+ hours already. (For reference, I once had around 180 hours of teaching in a month. It's not my current workplace. Mind you, this is just teaching hour and nothing else.)
#31
Gustav Gallifrey 2 years ago
Has to be 15 years. No way they could have the necessary experience after only 10 years. As for 5 years experience, ha!, worthless rookies.
#32
Gustav Gallifrey 2 years ago
In Australia, Xmas and New Year are summer events, so we have that going for us, which is nice. (Going the the beach on Xmas Day is almost a tradition for lots of us.)
#33
#37
Megalodon Meg 2 years ago
My boss just called me into his office to ask if I had any more peppermint patties
#39
Nichole Harris 2 years ago
My hubby and I do that together..... We alternate reassuring each other that we're not horrible lazy people 🤣
#40
Chihuahua Mama 2 years ago (edited)
My favourite screen is the back of my eyelids.... sleep, my favourite "activity" is sleep. Never seen such new and creative content anywhere else.
#42
Jason 2 years ago
I'm bad about this in general. If I look like I'm interested it's cause I'm bored as f**k and have set my body on autopilot so I can dream about anything else. If I look like I don't care it's because I'm actually paying attention listening and I'm using that autopilot brainpower to actually compute, remember, and listen to what you are saying. Same with taking notes.
#43
Amy Manning 2 years ago (edited)
No one really talks about the fact that the 8 hour work day was designed for men who have wives at home doing all the things we still have to do when we get done with our 8 hour work day. Like cooking, cleaning, laundry, changing the bed, and washing the dishes. We all have multiple full-time jobs at this point, but we only get paid for one of them. Happy Monday.
#44
Gustav Gallifrey 2 years ago
I've designed the perfect meeting room. No chairs, no tables - stand, or sit on the floor. Want to take notes? Use a clipboard. After 30 mins, doors open automatically, strobe lights flash, loud brass band/marching band music plays from loudspeakers.
#45
Gustav Gallifrey 2 years ago
'Fast paced ' means 'we have no planning skills, so every thing is done in a rush' and 'dynamic' means 'we have no idea where we're headed with anything, so we're constantly changing the rules and moving the goalposts'.
#48
Gustav Gallifrey 2 years ago
I'm a Boomer, and i seem to recall that this was our philosophy decades ago. Millennials/GenZ becoming Boomers?
#49
Panda Dressed as a Capybara ;) 2 years ago
Is it just me, or when a post has no comments I have no idea what to say, however when a post has comments I have the brightest idea in the world?
#50
#52
#54
afia kooma 2 years ago
Night workers coming home to be awake while i fell asleep was my rescue 💕
#56
TheElementalGod️️ 2 years ago
I would like to unsubscribe from the world please. No more emails, no more events, no more ANYTHING! just select and delete. Poof. Gone. Into the blissfulness of the void. And then I wake up and cry because I can't unsubscribe from the world.
#61
CwtchyMama 2 years ago
I gave these feeling also but am a sahm my coworkers are my dog and kids and they will not leave me alone.
#63
#69
VioletHunter 2 years ago
You can combine the sleep and no speaking week into one, then cook for a week, then pay someone to deep clean it all in one day and then add the last 3 days.
#73
TheElementalGod️️ 2 years ago
RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN GET OUT OF HERE I CANT MAKE IT OUT ALIVE SAVE YOURSELF
#74
VioletHunter 2 years ago
I feel the same. Some of my friends have jobs I simply can't understand.
#75
Rebelliousslug 2 years ago
Slip n slides are more fun when you’re older. Sure there’s the threat of breaking a bone that will take months to heal, but that extra weight translates into so much enjoyable extra speed
#78
Rebelliousslug 2 years ago
I remember when $126 paid for everything I wanted for 2 weeks until the next check. I miss you mom and dad (they’re still alive, I guess I meant I miss you paying to keep me alive while I just f***ed around and had fun with my money)
#80
Michael Largey 2 years ago
I always tried to come weird for work. My showing up normal made my students worried and uneasy.
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What do you think ?
Gustav Gallifrey 2 years ago
Where's the sign about how all employees must stop crying before returning to work?
Liz the Wanderer 2 years ago
I also am very happy that millennials are refusing to sell their life's and souls for a paycheck. Someone has to destroy the boomer system.
Gustav Gallifrey 2 years ago
Where's the sign about how all employees must stop crying before returning to work?
Liz the Wanderer 2 years ago
I also am very happy that millennials are refusing to sell their life's and souls for a paycheck. Someone has to destroy the boomer system.
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