While some employers are focused on strategies to combat ‘The Great Resignation’, it seems that there is a new kid in town. The latest phenomenon hitting social media is a concept called ‘Quiet quitting’.
Perhaps the person sitting next to you right now is quietly quitting or maybe it’s you. Unlike actively disengaged workers who even let the barista know they are unhappy, quiet quitters are going about their business doing the minimum required to go unnoticed. They are simply going through the motions, have become psychologically detached from their job and have stopped discretionary effort.
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According to Gallup, quiet quieters are those who are not engaged at work and have adopted an approach to work in which individuals meet the minimum requirements of their job description but nothing more – no discretionary effort and no going beyond. |
Sometimes managers don’t pick up on ‘quiet quitting’ because the worker is still completing the monthly report on time and meeting KPIs. This is an active strategy on the employee’s behalf because they know doing ‘just enough’ keeps the leader focused on others and avoids the dreaded performance management process.
Leaders are encouraged to take a closer look at a change in what is known as ‘citizenship behaviours’ as these hook employees to the business and indicate a high level of engagement. A few examples of opting out of citizenship behaviours includes:
Some may say that as long as the ‘job’ is getting done then there is nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, this is not the case. With an escalated level of challenges in a post-pandemic world, it has never been more important to operate with a highly engaged workforce to remain competitive and viable.
With an increasing level of remote and hybrid workers, leaders also need to ensure that the scales are well balanced and employees understand their value and feel part of something exciting and meaningful.
The old adage of ‘fixing your own oxygen mask before helping others’ is appropriate for leaders. The last couple of years have expected a lot out of leaders, as they have needed to solve brand new challenges including pivoting the business model and leading from their lounge room. It is fair to say that for many, their cup is empty and it is recommended that more time is invested to recognise achievements, show appreciation and provide a chance to reset before shoving more down the chute.
As the dust has now settled from the COVID-19 storm, workers are realising that the market is stable enough to jump ship. This is, however, only appealing to those who are either disengaged or actively disengaged. Now is the time to ask your employees questions to find out if you are still meeting their needs or if you have dropped the ball. Consider questions like:
There is no question that job lines have become blurred and priorities have changed. In many cases, job descriptions are now archaic documents that no longer reflect the changing needs of the business. It is now time to recalibrate core job responsibilities and harness new found skills. It is not a matter of reverting back to ‘how things were’, as the way in which we work has fundamentally changed. Take the time to understand from your team member their thoughts on how they see their role now; and more importantly how they would like to see it evolve.
When there is a crisis it makes sense to operate with a high sense of urgency. But that is exhausting, unfulfilling and unsustainable. Many workers are left with a ‘pandemic hangover’ where they are still exhausted from unprecedented challenges and have not yet had the adequate break to refuel and rebalance. There is no doubt that timelines and deliverables still need to happen but consider dialling back the ‘urgency’ and push back a few ‘nice to haves’. Turn the focus to bringing the scales back into balance and recognising that a culture of urgency brings burnout and turnover.
Its understandable that most businesses have had an ‘outward’ focus in recent times. Employees have understood and accepted this. It is now time to turn the lens inwards and assess the gaps and opportunities in the employee experience. Start with the no cost conversation with team members to determine what might be missing from their employee value proposition (EVP).
There is no one solution to ‘quiet quitting’, but the good news is that it can be fixed. Understandably, there is not an endless bucket of resources or money to throw at employees to entice them to stay; but nor should that be the solution. You don’t want a work culture where employees will only stay when they are ‘given more’.
Those employees will only have one foot in your business and the other ready to pound the pavement. Instead, focus on 15-30 minutes each week to build authentic partnerships with employees where they have the courage to share what’s important and you have the appetite to listen.
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Georgina is Senior HR Content Editor – Publications at Ai Group. She is an accomplished Human Resource professional with over 25 years of generalist and leadership experience in a broad range of industries including financial services, tourism, travel, government and agriculture. She has successfully advised and partnered with senior leaders to implement people and performance initiatives that align to business strategy. Georgina is committed to utilising her experience to create resources that educate and engage and is passionate about supporting members to optimise an inclusive workforce culture that drives performance.
