A new regional study reveals a significant drop in employee engagement across Panama’s workforce. The phenomenon of quiet quitting is gaining ground as more workers report feeling undervalued and disconnected from their companies.
Job portal Konzerta conducted the “Silent Resignation” study, polling 1,705 workers across five Latin American countries including Panama. While 64% of Panamanian employees still claim to give their all at work, that positive perception fell by nine percentage points compared to 2024 data. Meanwhile, 28% now say they do only the bare minimum required, and 8% admit to doing less and less over time.
Managers Urged to Reflect on Talent Wellbeing
Marketing Manager for Konzerta at Jobint, Jeff Alejandro Morales, said the declining enthusiasm should serve as a wake-up call for organizations. He emphasized the need for corporate cultures that prioritize talent recognition and wellbeing.
“The nine percentage point drop in positive perception compared to 2024 invites us to reflect on the challenge organizations have in promoting work cultures also focused on talent, their well-being and recognition,” [Translated from Spanish] Morales stated.
When asked directly, a striking 49% of Panamanian participants identified with the quiet quitting trend. This marks a sharp nine-point increase from the 40% who said the same in 2024. Nearly half of that disengaged group, 44%, reported feeling this way for more than a year.
The primary drivers of this disengagement are not directly tied to compensation. A full 38% of workers cite not feeling valued as their core reason for dismotivation. Another 22% point to a misalignment with their organization’s values, while 16% blame a perceived toxic work environment.
Values Misalignment Fuels Workforce Disconnect
A deeper values conflict appears to be a central issue. The study found 43% of talent cited a disconnect between their personal values and their company’s corporate values as a key factor in their withdrawal. This sentiment persists despite a seemingly contradictory statistic.
Overall, 63% of workers maintain a positive perception of their current job, a figure that actually rose six points from last year. Yet 67% simultaneously report feeling unmotivated in their workplace. This paradox highlights a complex emotional landscape where employees may like their role but feel stifled by the culture surrounding it.
Faced with this dissatisfaction, a clear majority of employees are looking for an exit. Sixty-four percent of Panamanian talent confirmed they are actively searching for a new job. Another 31% plan to begin a job search in the near future.
Interestingly, 61% of respondents said their main professional goal is still to learn and advance within their current company. This suggests a strong latent desire for growth that employers are failing to tap into, potentially harming long-term employee engagement.
Some employees still demonstrate discretionary effort. The data shows 47% claim they often start work early or stay late. Another 61% said they will evaluate the urgency of an after-hours issue before deciding when to address it. These behaviors indicate a workforce not wholly checked out but increasingly calculating in its investment.
Konzerta’s findings present a challenge for Panamanian businesses. They must address the core cultural issues of recognition and values alignment to re-engage a workforce that is mentally departing while physically remaining in place. The rising trend of quiet quitting signals a critical need for managerial reflection and strategic change in how companies nurture their human talent.