Exploiting excellence: Why Maldivian workplaces are losing their brightest

In the Maldives today, work is not a choice but a necessity. Nearly 34 to 35 percent of our population makes up the active workforce, and for most families, especially in cities, one income is no longer enough to survive. It has become the norm for both parents to take on full-time jobs simply to make ends meet. This reality is not born out of preference but forced upon households by the rising cost of living.

The bulk of Maldivians between 18 and 55 years old are employed across three broad categories: public service, private companies, and self-employment. And while their roles may differ, one factor remains constant: how well they perform depends heavily on leadership. The way supervisors manage, support, and hold their teams accountable is directly tied to productivity. Good leadership fosters balance and harmony; poor leadership breeds resentment and decline.

Take the civil service, for example, the country’s largest employer. As of mid-2024, there were 30,287 civil service staff, and strikingly, 67.5 percent were women. This statistic reflects both the opportunities and the burdens faced by Maldivian women, many of whom juggle work alongside family responsibilities. Yet even with such a large workforce, the churn is telling: on average, 1,500 people leave the civil service each year, while 5,850 join. The revolving door suggests not only demand for government jobs but also dissatisfaction that pushes many out.

In any workplace, whether it’s a corporate law firm in Male’ or a guesthouse in Baa Atoll, one truth holds steady: it is the top performers who keep the wheels turning. They are the ones staying late, solving problems, and saving reputations. Yet too often, leaders allow these same employees to shoulder the weight of their lazier colleagues, essentially punishing the reliable to protect the inconsistent.

It’s like telling your best-behaved child they’re grounded because their siblings can’t behave. The message is loud and clear: mediocrity is tolerated, while excellence is exploited.

In a workforce stretched this thin, balance is everything. When top performers are asked to cover for disengaged colleagues, the system inevitably falters. Take, for example, a resort on an outer atoll during peak season: a few guest service officers are absent or underdelivering, so the same handful of reliable staff are repeatedly asked to stay late, handle extra check-ins, and resolve guest complaints. At first, they comply because they care about the reputation of the resort. But as weeks turn into months, their “reliability” becomes exploited rather than appreciated. Supervisors, unwilling to confront the underperformers, quietly shift the weight onto those who always deliver. The result is predictable: resentment brews among the strongest workers, morale drops, and exhaustion sets in. What managers often mistake as endurance or “loyalty to the company” is in fact the early stages of burnout.

The same problem plays out in the civil service, the Maldives’ largest employer. With over 30,000 staff, many offices depend on a core group of committed employees to keep daily functions running smoothly. When colleagues frequently take leave or avoid responsibilities, these reliable workers often cover additional duties without recognition. On paper, the job gets done; in reality, the pressure on top performers grows heavier each year. The constant inflow and outflow of staff only amplifies the imbalance, leaving veterans to shoulder training and workloads far beyond their job descriptions. Over time, what looks like dedication turns into quiet frustration, and eventually, resignation letters.

Occasional mistakes are forgivable; no one is perfect. But chronic underperformance with no accountability is corrosive. It breeds resentment, lowers morale, and eventually poisons the culture of an organization. One Maldivian HR consultant put it bluntly: “It is much harder to replace one strong performer than to discipline three weak ones.”

Workload is not the only factor corroding workplace culture. Toxic habits, so often dismissed as “just fun,” are equally damaging. Gossiping, body-shaming, and collective bullying masquerading as humor are widespread across workplaces. What may feel like harmless jokes creates environments where employees feel unsafe, humiliated, and excluded.

Globally, studies show that workplace bullying affects 15-30 percent of employees at some point in their careers. The psychological effects include stress, loss of confidence, and even physical health issues. Locally, the Civil Service Commission has acknowledged receiving complaints of harassment, with female staff disproportionately reporting unprofessional remarks and ridicule.

Consider a scene many Maldivian workers will recognize: in a government office in Malé, a young civil servant joins her team fresh from university. Instead of being guided, she becomes the target of office “banter.” Colleagues make constant remarks about her body, poke fun at her accent, or how she does not know what skill set is required to perform her job, and spread whispers about her personal life during tea breaks. At first, she forces a laugh, not wanting to appear “uptight.” But over time, the so-called jokes chip away at her confidence. She takes more sick days, avoids speaking up in meetings, and eventually applies for a transfer or leaves the office altogether.

Such behavior does more than hurt feelings. It lowers productivity, drives turnover, and destroys team cohesion. Employees distracted by gossip and hostile banter cannot perform at their best. Worse, when management turns a blind eye, it signals that disrespect is acceptable, as long as the work gets done. Over time, this erodes trust in leadership and accelerates the very burnout and resignations leaders claim to worry about.

Globally, we see the same pattern. The Maldives is not immune. Whether in a government office, a Malé corporate firm, or a resort on the outer atolls, the message is the same: leadership matters.

We cannot afford to waste talent. In a nation with limited human resources, every resignation, every disillusioned employee, and every burned-out high performer represents more than a personal loss, it is an economic setback.

The way forward is clear. Leaders must raise standards, demand accountability, and protect their best people. Harmony in the workplace does not come from avoiding conflict; it comes from fairness, respect, and consistency. The numbers show we have a workforce ready to serve. What they need is leadership strong enough to let them thrive.