Resenteeism

For the homophone on current events, see Recentism.

In human resources, resenteeism refers to a form of professional dissatisfaction wherein individuals choose to remain in unfulfilling jobs breeding resentment and a sense of entrapment.^[1][2] This is because they are either unable to find a more applicable position, or are concerned about the perceived risks associated with changing employment.^[1] Individuals experiencing resenteeism will have poor employee engagement and may appear disillusioned, embittered, miserable, and unhappy.^[1][3][2] Resenteeism arose following the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great resignation where people reevaluated their work-life balance in the face of cost-of-living increases and is an extension of quiet quitting.^[3][4] Resenteeism is a form of occupational burnout.^[5]

Resenteeism has been attributed to poor workplace culture, a disconnect between employers and employees, and subtle layoffs.^[6] It is prevalent among employees who had to give up remote work and return to the office.^[7] Engaging in resenteeism may negatively impact mental health.^[8][9] Employers can address it by fostering a respectful workplace and investment in employees.^[10][11]

The term was coined by SaaS cloud provider, RotaCloud and popularized in 2023 on TikTok and is a portmanteau of resentment, absenteeism, and presenteeism.^{[12][13][14][15]}