The phenomenon of “quiet quitting” in the workplace is growing in recognition. It often refers to workers fulfilling their job description duties while refusing to go above and beyond or invest emotionally in their work. Over 50% of workers surveyed by Gallup in June 2022 said they feel this way about their current positions. Other quiet quitters take it to another (lower) level as a ResumeBuilder.com survey in August 2022 indicated that 21% of employees are only doing the bare minimum required. We’ve all heard the phrase “phoning it in” at the office, but why is it happening and what, if anything, can an employer do about it?
The factors behind this trend vary, but many survey respondents indicated they are burned out and desire to re-focus their lives. In essence, quiet quitting refers to the personal decision to cease putting in too much effort at work. Some do this because they recognize that, despite their effort, working long hours or overachieving doesn’t do them any good. These individuals may think more about what they are missing out on than what they gain by going above and beyond. They yearn for a better work-life balance and might become satisfied being average employees who set healthy boundaries for the work aspect of life, even saying no to extra responsibilities outside their role or when faced with unreasonable expectations.
The problem of quiet quitting parallels the Great Resignation in which people started reflecting more about their workplaces, how they wanted to spend their time and what’s most important to them. Some were forced into this by the unfortunate layoffs, while others experienced new stress levels. Many concluded that it was not always about money or position, but rather the need for personal time and priorities such as being a parent or acting as a caregiver. As things began to recover, many people looked for new jobs, with those left behind questioning how much effort they should put into their work. This idea contributed to the growth of the “quiet quitting” phenomenon.
Quiet quitting isn’t necessarily a new problem. There have always been individuals who intentionally don’t perform up to their full capabilities, though that was considered a performance issue. What organizations need to understand now is that employees are redefining the relationship between employers and employees. Employees are no longer buying into the mentality that success means “work always comes first.” While there are many reasons employees quietly quit, how valued the worker feels vs. how they value themselves is also vital.
In the last few years, employees across various ages and income brackets have experienced higher fatigue, burnout and general dissatisfaction influenced by the pandemic, social unrest, economic concerns and more. A noticeable difference between younger generations and Gen X or baby boomers is that young people are airing their dissatisfaction publicly on social media, increasing awareness of what is happening with the workforce. Workers who felt this way in the past might have been hesitant to say anything due to the fear of burning bridges at their current workplace or alienating potential employers. However, younger generations are more determined to feel fulfilled in their jobs and personal lives. Ultimately, they expect and demand employers recognize that and promote policies encouraging work-life balance.
Indicators of Quiet Quitting
- Missed deadlines and goals
- Lack of participation in meetings
- Decreased interest in sharing input
- Increase in absences and sick leaves
- General withdrawal from employer’s culture
- Heightened cynicism
How to Address Quiet Quitting
The good news from the employer’s perspective is many people who could be classified as quiet quitters can be persuaded to work to their full potential.
Employers need to do more than touch base with employees; they need to better understand and empathize with them. Most organizations should be taking the pulse of people on a daily or weekly basis instead of focusing on annual engagement survey results.
Have frequent conversations with employees, including a development strategy to provide more personal support or personalized motivation, such as supporting their educational goals or interests. The conversations aim to better understand employees’ day-to-day assignments, make a personal connection, and improve the employee experience. Then create/implement programs to make it happen!
Be sure your employees know that flexibility is available to them as much as the workplace permits. This could include granting employees more control over timelines or deadlines, shifting away from clearly arbitrary rules or making similar allowances. Trusting employees to function this way may take a leap of faith but can pay dividends down the road.
Reduce the unknown with well-defined and sustainable work practices. For example, everyone should know how communications are handled across the company, how the work performed contributes to the overall mission and how those who do high-impact work are recognized. That level of clarity and predictability can go a long way.
Organizations must realize and acknowledge that employees are redefining work and will no longer play the game the same way. Employees who feel more included and valued, especially by their manager, typically have higher levels of well-being, leading to greater job engagement and a higher likelihood of putting in additional effort to help the organization and fellow workers.
It is important to remember that quiet quitting by employees usually isn’t so quiet to perceptive organizations. In uncertain economic times, with recession talk a frequent occurrence and reductions in the workforce on the table, organizational management should evaluate the impact of individual employees and how they are contributing to the attainment of organizational goals. Employees should have better work/life balance and boundaries yet still perform at an achievable level for career success. The elimination of quiet quitting in the workplace can and should be a “win-win” for all.
