What is quiet quitting?

What is quiet qutting? What are the signs of this new “trend” that has taken over the workplace?

Quiet quitting happens when a person is less motivated and committed to their job or when they are more inclined to reject specific tasks.

What is quiet quitting?

This movement, initiated by a TikTok Gen Z creator, refers to working the bare minimum at your present job while looking for a new one.

Quiet quitting is when employees decide not to go above and beyond what is expected while considering changing their job. It does not indicate that they are not performing their duties. They simply do not go the extra mile.

Employee disengagement, formerly known as quiet quitting, is becoming increasingly popular among Millennials and Generation Z employees who are redefining what it means to be a devoted employee. As employees and managers face a post-pandemic workforce that makes establishing work-life balance more complex than ever, the problem continues to gather traction and upset management.

As with the great resignation, the work culture has profoundly shifted – for better or worse – after nearly two years of remote or mixed employment.
The epidemic brought a slew of new issues that increased employee demands and allowed them to create alternate work structures.

Why are employees quiet quitting work?

In some ways, remote employment fueled the quiet quitting movement. It has increased the number of hours people work, contributing to higher levels of burnout.

The consulting company Korn Ferry asserts that remote work allows these folks to work independently, although employees have demonstrated various degrees of productivity for decades.

Telecommuting has given rise to novel ideas for some, such as free Fridays, digital meetings, and flexible work schedules. After realizing the benefits of such arrangements, employees may be unwilling to return to their former ways of working.
Now that many employers demand employees to return to work, these individuals may respond to the loss of liberties by withdrawing from their professional commitments.

A Gallup study conducted in 2022 found that employees believe their bosses care significantly less about their well-being than they did during the pandemic. Only 24% of employees think their firm is sufficiently assisting them, down from 49% in 2020, the lowest level in over a decade.

Workers who express their dissatisfaction at work risk losing their jobs. According to Gallup’s State of the Worldwide Job poll, workplace discontent is at an all-time high, costing the global economy $7.8 trillion in lost productivity.

Signs of quiet quitting

People who tend to silently quit also lose their loyalty towards the company.

Underperformance

Underperformance  occurs when employees perform their duties below the required level that has been established and expected of them. If you notice a decrease in an employee’s performance, it might be a sign of quiet quitting.

As soon as you notice underperformance, it is best to have a one-on-one meeting with the employee and try to figure out together what is the cause of his poor performance.

Lack of proactivity

If your employees only follow instructions and never take the initiative, it might signal quiet quitting. Communication will suffer if your team members are not proactive. Employee may prefer to keep silent rather than alert you of their troubles. Usually, silent quitters have low morale.

Bad teamwork

Quiet quitters can lead to a lack of cooperation. Many silent quitters leave the team altogether because it is difficult to maintain neutrality and not interfere when teammates are in need.

If you find that some of your team members are not getting along, it could be because one or more have mentally checked out. These employees may also assume that teamwork is beyond their responsibilities or that they need a higher salary to justify the emphasis on collaboration or cooperation.

How to prevent quiet quitting

Compensation
From an employee’s perspective, the compensation you pay them reflects how much you value their work. And people who consider quiet quitting usually will work as much as they are paid to.

The basis for a problem is a lack of respect, not a lack of money. Suppose you continue to take on additional tasks despite employees’ comfort, current workload, or protests. In that case, it gives the impression that managers care more about productivity than employees’ well-being.

Employees expect to be paid the same as their peers who do the same work, even if they are better able to negotiate a higher salary.

Remember that non-monetary compensation can form recognition, perks, bonuses, and flexibility. Payment must be competitive with market prices and current living standards.

Communication
Your business should facilitate and promote dialogue. Employees should be able to ask questions, speak out in meetings, and work collaboratively with peers. They should understand what is required of them and what they may expect from you.

Make an ongoing effort to communicate! Communicating often with your staff is a great way to maintain a healthy relationship and boost employee morale.

Listening to your employees’ concerns is an excellent strategy to prevent silent quitting. If you do not listen to the wants and needs of your employees, you may be surprised when team members leave.

You may be able to re-engage your employees before they mentally log off if you can stop off-putting arguments and provide timely responses. Employees who feel they are being listened to are more likely to work hard and persevere.

Feedback
Feedback is critical for growth. It is necessary to deliver both good and negative feedback to your staff, as long as it is constructive.
Your managing staff should be able to provide feedback to their team members to help develop their skills.

If you accept criticism and feedback on your management style and other things they are displeased with at the job – employees will find it much easier to take your concerns or comments in the long run as a sign of mutual respect.

Quiet quitting can be challenging to detect since specific warning indicators, such as absenteeism, low mood, and morale, and changes in job performance may be inadvertent or symptomatic of other issues. Regardless of the source, it is typically a good idea to address mood swings or performance changes concerning employee activities before being forced to have a exit interview.