27/03/2026
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how often we label people as “lazy” at work.
But what if that’s not actually what’s going on?
What if some of the people we’re frustrated with aren’t unmotivated… they’re stuck?
There’s a concept in psychology called learned helplessness. It happens when someone has experienced enough setbacks, lack of control, or criticism that they stop believing their efforts will make any difference.
So they disengage.
They stop putting themselves forward.
They do the minimum.
From the outside, it can look like a lack of drive. But underneath, it’s often a lack of belief that anything they do will change the outcome.
As leaders and organisations, this is an uncomfortable but important question to ask:
Are my people lazy, or have they learned that their voice, effort, or initiative doesn’t matter?
Because if it’s the latter, no amount of pressure, targets, or performance management will fix it.
What does help is creating an environment where people can start to feel a sense of agency again. Where their input is heard. Where effort leads to something meaningful. Where small wins rebuild confidence.
In my work, I support individuals and organisations to understand these patterns and gently shift them. That might mean helping someone reconnect with their confidence, or helping leaders recognise what might be unintentionally reinforcing disengagement.
When people feel safe, seen, and able to make an impact, something changes.
They don’t just perform better. They show up differently.
And often, the “laziness” disappears.
