‘Quiet quitting’ is the term that refers to employees being chronically disengaged at work. The phenomenon has been around for a long time, but the term received increased attention during the pandemic as people began to reevaluate the importance of their work-life balance. Particularly the Gen Z population doesn’t seem to compromise on their quality of life and therefore don’t go the extra mile in a job, to protect their values such as mental health. The trend has an enormous impact on the economy. And managers need to up their game to retain staff.
An employee might be a quiet quitter if…
- they disengage at work and do the bare minimum of what’s required
- have little motivation to do their tasks and no ambition for professional growth
- they isolate from other team members and avoid social team gatherings
- they are unwilling to take on any additional tasks outside the expected minimum
- they disengage at meetings. They don’t speak up or actively participate
What managers need to do to avoid quiet quitting
Evaluate the cause
The first step is to evaluate why employees show signs of quiet quitting. There will be those who show up at work for the wrong reasons and those who would like to be engaged, but have lost their connection with work. Someone who has been overlooked for a pay rise might withdraw themselves as they don’t feel appreciated or valued. Someone who has just had a baby may try to protect their work-life balance. Someone who isolates themselves may be experiencing burnout. All valid reasons that can be dealt with.
There could be lots of reasons for disengagement at work and it is the manager’s responsibility to look behind the curtain before judging.
Foster a communications culture
Managers should create a culture where communication and transparency are not only welcome, but a priority. A weekly 1:1 assessing priorities can help employees feel less overwhelmed. A monthly meeting identifying pain points and discussing what the employee wants to focus on makes them feel heard and ultimately more engaged.
It is also good practice to champion your employees, as appropriate, to make them feel seen. Everyone appreciates validation and while it is very easy to criticise others for mistakes, sometimes we forget to say ‘thank you’ for a job well done.
Walk the talk
Managers should lead by example by setting boundaries around working hours and when to deal with emails. Obviously, there are time sensitive things that need to get done. But managers should refrain from sending emails at 10pm, if this is not in line with their values. What the manager does sets a tone for the team culture and should therefore be considered with care.
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