"Quiet quitting" and how to avoid it
Posted on 9th November 2022 at 10:55
You may have heard of the phrase “the Great Resignation”, but recently another term has cropped up, mainly across social media, for employees who start “quiet quitting” instead. Arguably caused by many of the same factors that lead to resignation, “quiet quitting” is when employees stop investing in work physically and mentally beyond what is required of them. In the past, people have also sometimes called this “working to rule”. Quiet quitters keep carrying out their primary responsibilities, but they become reluctant to engage in other activities managers might expect: getting to work early, staying late, or attending non-compulsory meetings. Employees who quietly quit therefore give zero discretionary effort.
This behaviour might not seem that problematic to managers, particularly compared to resignations and high staff turnover. However, over time, many businesses feel at a serious competitive disadvantage if their workforce is not willing to go beyond their contractual obligations. The reality is that many organisations rely on employees being willing to step up to complete certain tasks, and these extra elements cannot be easily defined in a formal job description or contract.
Given this, although losing employees might feel difficult, having disengaged employees continue without actually quitting is perhaps worse; not only does it reduce productivity and contribute to a negative atmosphere, but an employee’s reluctance to not go the extra mile can often put extra pressure on their colleagues to pick up the slack. This can lead to your best employees becoming fed up and disengaged because they feel that everything falls to them.
So, how can the “quiet quitting” phenomena be avoided in the workplace? Here are three relatively easy things to start with:
1. Think about culture
When faced with “quiet quitting”, the main question to ask is what are the factors that might lead an employee to make this decision? Often the answers relate to workplace culture; not feeling recognised or supported; being asked to do tasks without being given the resources or training necessary; a reluctance to talk to management for fear of being ignored or unfairly treated.
Culture starts from the top, so managers should model an environment where employees are respected and valued. Employees are much more likely to engage beyond their core duties if they, for example, know they will be thanked for the extra work they put in and/or enjoy spending time with their colleagues. Think about extra incentives, perks and team building activities that could encourage a more positive workplace culture, and help employees enjoy the time they spend at work. Discuss workplace culture with your employees. This in turn will motivate colleagues to support and help each other in tasks beyond their core responsibilities.
2. Take time to listen
A key element of any healthy and productive workplace culture is a management team who are open to listening to their employees. Prevention is better than cure - “quiet quitting” can be avoided if employees feel comfortable going to managers with ideas and concerns, knowing they will be listened to and their views will be considered.
Managers also need to ensure they are proactive listeners, rather than just reactively available to employees. More than operating an “open door” policy, managers can go one step further by actively booking in regular time with their employees to hear their views and how they are feeling. Managers who know how their employees are doing are much better equipped to spot any employees at risk of becoming a “quiet quitter”.
3. Invest in your workforce
Employees might end up “quiet quitting” if they feel their career progression has stalled. Employees can be demotivated to provide extra work and support if they feel employers have not invested in them and their professional development. As such, it is important to actively invest in each employee, to listen to their goals and desires for their future, and ensure they feel the business is supporting them in their career. This could look like paying for training courses, providing experience in different roles, or including them in projects that relate to their interests. Employees who feel invested in are much more likely to remain actively engaged in their own job, and the business as a whole.
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