The concept of ‘Quiet Quitting’ is nothing new, but the term itself is new, and it has been the latest workplace buzzword since it started trending on the social media platform TikTok a few months ago. The creator of the TikTok states “I recently learned about this term called ‘Quiet Quitting’ where you’re not outright quitting your job, but you’re quitting the idea of going above and beyond. You’re still performing your duties, but you’re no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work has to be your life.”
It’s a way of mentally checking out of work and psychologically detaching from your job by only doing the bare minimum to get by. After this video went viral, companies around the globe started talking about this new term and its effect on their organizations – and it’s something worth discussing.
Why Are People Quiet Quitting?
According to a recent Gallup study, quiet quitters made up at least 50% of the U.S. workforce in the second quarter of 2022. So why are so many people joining the quiet quit movement? It could be due to how the pandemic has made people re-evaluate the way in which they work. It’s evident that many workers now prioritize a healthy work-life balance more than they did pre-pandemic, so this could be a leading reason why employees are rejecting the hustle culture and setting work boundaries.
Another prominent reason that workers are quiet quitting is because they refuse to do more work without receiving more pay. If they feel they are only getting paid to work 40 hours a week to complete the responsibilities listed in their job description, then that’s all they are going to do. They won’t work extra hours or take on additional tasks unless they start receiving higher compensation.
Additionally, people are quiet quitting because remote work is making it easy to. In a remote work setting, managers can’t see exactly what their employees are doing all day, so they don’t feel pressured to go above and beyond. It can be said that remote work leads to a lack of motivation, and the quiet quit is a major testament to that.
Why Should Your Organization Care?
As a manager, it’s your job to keep your employees engaged and eager to do more than the bare minimum at work; an actively engaged manager will set the right example for their team to follow. Quiet quitting should be viewed as a cautionary sign that an employee is not happy at their job and they’re likely experiencing mental burnout. Managers need to take this as a signal to do everything in their power to quickly retain these employees and find a way to re-engage them.
Companies cannot afford to lose workers in today’s competitive talent market, so they need to figure out a successful method to reverse this mass disengagement. And having one person in your organization who is quiet quitting can have a negative impact on their colleagues. One quiet quitter can unintentionally influence their co-workers to do the same, leading to weakened morale throughout the organization, lower productivity, and decreased output.
Employees who refuse to put in extra effort at work can also lead to poor customer service delivery. Your customers deserve the best care, and an employee who is mentally checked out will not care about providing customers with the high-quality service that they deserve. And if your customers aren’t happy, this leads to even bigger issues.
To ensure that employees aren’t quiet quitting and therefore harming your company, here are some tips to prevent the quiet quit.
How Can You Prevent Your Employees from Quiet Quitting?
1. Look for the Signs
The first step in preventing your workforce from quiet quitting is to know what behaviors to look for that indicate an employee is starting to disengage. Some common signs could be:
- A lack of passion or enthusiasm regarding their work
- Not sharing any new ideas
- Staying silent during meetings
- Making careless mistakes
- Never offering to take on a new project
- Clocking out after doing the bare minimum
2. Have a Conversation
Once you determine that someone is quiet quitting, it’s best to have a conversation with them and address the issue head-on. Find out why they aren’t actively engaged and happy with their current situation, and use their feedback to make changes that encourage them to become more interested and involved at work..
3. Set Workplace Boundaries
Setting boundaries at work creates a supportive and conducive environment for both employees and employers. There should be no disagreements or hesitations about the amount of work an employee should be doing if clear boundaries and expectations are discussed ahead of time. Keep workloads steady and predictable.
4. Prioritize a Work-Life Balance
Many people who participate in quiet quitting are doing it because they want a better work-life balance. If companies allowed their employees to create a healthy work-life balance, their workers would most likely be eager to work harder for them. Be flexible − make sure you’re giving your employees an adequate amount of PTO, allowing them to work flexible hours, and considering a hybrid work environment. Your employees’ personal lives and mental health matters. After all, it is just a job and life does come first.
5. Recognize and Reward
Employees who feel genuinely valued and cared for at their job will be more willing to put a little extra effort into their work. As a manager, you should be giving words of encouragement and rewarding employees when they perform to the best of their ability.
6. Discuss Career Development Opportunities
An employee who does not see any potential for career growth in their company will not be motivated to work any harder than they need to. It’s best to sit down with employees and create a career development plan so they have goals to be excited about working toward.
The bottom line is that employers need to optimize the employee experience by following the steps listed above, then their employees won’t feel the need to quiet quit. Creating a healthy balance between giving a job your all and quiet quitting can be found when an employee and employer work together to create an equilibrium.
