What happens when employees keep showing up physically, but emotionally and mentally they’ve already left? Welcome to the world of Resenteeism — the workplace trend where people check in, but they don’t truly check out.
You’ve probably heard of presenteeism (being at work but not fully productive) and quiet quitting (dialing back effort to the bare minimum). Resenteeism is different — and more dangerous. It’s what happens when frustration, dissatisfaction, or burnout take root, but people still occupy their desks, attend meetings, and go through the motions. Their presence masks the problem, yet their resentment quietly spreads through the culture.
In this episode of Hero to Zero, host Ken Pearson is joined by Michelle Hargis Wolfe, an experienced HR leader and culture strategist, to unpack this subtle but powerful dynamic. Together, they explore:
- Why resenteeism is on the rise in today’s disrupted workplace
- How it erodes trust and culture when left unchecked
- The difference between burnout, disengagement, and resenteeism — and why leaders must learn to spot the signs
- The hidden costs of ignoring employee sentiment while focusing only on output
- Practical ways leaders can respond, from improving feedback loops to building psychological safety and rethinking performance metrics
Michelle brings a unique perspective on how organizations can build cultures of transparency and trust that keep resentment from festering in the first place. Her insights help leaders shift from reacting to symptoms to proactively creating environments where employees can be candid, engaged, and truly present.
For listeners in leadership, HR, or team management roles, this conversation offers both clarity and a call to action: don’t assume attendance equals engagement. If people are showing up physically but leaving their best energy, creativity, and commitment at the door, resenteeism may already be reshaping your workplace.
By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with:
- A sharper understanding of what resenteeism looks like in real time
- Language to start meaningful conversations with your teams
- Actionable ideas to re-energize engagement and rebuild trust
🌐 How This Fits into Hero to Zero
Each episode of Hero to Zero peels back another layer of how work really feels on the inside versus how it looks on the outside. In Episode 1 we examined the shifting role of recruiting. In Episode 2, Frederic Deschamps joined to talk about culture misalignment — when the “music” of daily life doesn’t match the “lyrics” of corporate promises. In Episode 3, we dug into learning and adaptability in a disrupted world.
This episode on resenteeism carries that thread forward: it shows what happens when culture breaks down in quiet, invisible ways. It’s not the dramatic resignation letter or the viral social media rant — it’s the slow drift of resentment that leaders often miss until it’s too late.
By connecting these dots across the season, listeners can start to see a larger pattern: organizations succeed or fail not on their stated policies, but on the lived experiences of their people.
📣 Call to Action
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🎙️ Thanks for listening to Hero to Zero — where the real stories of HR, leadership, and corporate life get told (finally).
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