Quiet Quitting: What Is It and 9 Things Employers Can Do to Prevent It
The world of people operations has been buzzing around the idea of quiet quitting. It’s nothing new, and it’s definitely something as an employer you need to pay attention to, but perhaps not in the way that you think.
Have you noticed your staff resisting new responsibilities or showing up and leaving right on time? What about re-negotiating the terms of their employment agreements? If you have a high degree of psychological safety in the workplace, they might even be talking to you about what changes they want to see in the workplace or voicing concerns about current working conditions.
These can all be symptoms of quiet quitting.
Quiet quitting can indicate a breakdown in the relationship between an employer and their employee because it reveals that an employee isn’t feeling heard and that they don’t trust you to make changes based on their feedback. Quiet quitting (working to rule), signals a shift in the power dynamic, it is a symptom of a breakdown in the system that has been designed to work employees as much as they are willing to give, and the outcome is staff are quietly saying “no more” by working exactly what they have committed to, not less and definitely not more. This means they are quietly backing off on projects, turning down special assignments, walking away from opportunities outside the scope of their current role, turning down promotions, and ultimately not directly communicating with you about why.
Gallup recently shared a statistic that quiet quitters are currently 50% of any given workplace in the US. They further added that it is likely this figure is much higher than what is being reported. This is alarming, and leaves employers wondering, “What happened?”.
Employees values changed during the pandemic, coupled with unprecedented opportunity in our global workplace, which has resulted in a dramatic shift in the power dynamic from the employer to the employee. Employees now drive the market and require that their efforts be recognized.
So how do employers recognize these efforts and get comfortable with the new balance of power?
People on a basic level want to understand their role in an organization, they want to know that what they do matters and that they have value. When we look at the factors that prevent quiet quitting we see significant investments in workplace culture, high value placed on reasonable work expectations, a high degree of autonomy and built-in flexibility for staff, and all of this supported by a strong practice of fair and equitable compensation.
Your Culture is either delivering on your promises or creating quiet quitters - Jake Herway
Employees now require a clear employee value proposition backed by action; they are looking for meaning in their work and an authentic representation of what is expected of them. They want to see follow through, and when they don’t, they leave - often for higher compensation and less responsibility.
So, what can employers do?
Seek input from your staff through regular pulse surveys and check-ins
Follow through on promises
When a system is not working, change it
Ensure your job descriptions are up to date, benchmarked with the current market and regularly reviewed
Provide fair compensation for the work that is being done and the skills your staff bring
Pay attention to your workplace culture and invest in creating a meaningful experience of work
Onboard new staff, set clear expectations and have clear accountability structures in place
Provide opportunity for growth and development
Listen, be empathetic and allow for flexibility
Preventing quiet quitting can be as basic as listening to your staff and intentionally building a culture that values psychological safety and, as Brené Brown would say, the willingness to rumble with vulnerability. Don’t be afraid to listen to what your employees have to say; they are the most valuable voices in your workplace. If they are willing to speak up it means they feel safe and they care. Listen hard, make notes, then take action.
Sharde Long HR Advisor | Reimagine Work