The Great Resignation wave, also known as the Big Quit or the Great Reshuffle, has yet to loosen its grip on the world since it began in early 2021. Now, close on the heels of this economic trend, where hordes of employees quit their jobs without any backup, comes Quiet Quitting.
Many businesses globally are dealing with the phenomenon and searching for strategies to curb it without negatively impacting their work.
What is Quiet Quitting?
Quiet quitting does not mean one is giving up the job; it means employees are giving up the idea of doing anything more than required or expected. It’s the same as being physically present yet mentally unfocused.
If the fundamental goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion are key to employee engagement and retention, then quiet quitting is an issue that business leaders must address with urgency.
Quiet quitting can be as damaging to a company as a high attrition rate. Unfortunately, the ability to keep staff content is complex. Employees may occasionally feel demotivated, undervalued, or that their work isn’t rewarding. However, if employees continue to feel the same over a while, they may silently turn their backs on the company.
Let’s understand the Quiet Quitters’ behavioural patterns.
There are 6 Tell-tale Signs that a Quiet Quitter is One of Your Ranks:
- Disengagement over time
- Performance limited to the minimum requirements
- Distancing from the team’s other members
- Withdrawal from any conversations, jobs, or activities that are not necessary for their typical job role
- Attendance at meetings without involvement or actions
- Teammates describe a sudden spike in workload as they make up for a quiet quitter’s tasks
Employers must learn strategies to support quiet quitters, including understanding the reasons for quitting and actionable steps to fix it.
1. Dig Deeper
The profile of every silent quitter appears to be the same at first glance. A closer examination reveals many reasons that may cause workers to lose interest and perform below par. For example, a frustrated employee who has been denied a promotion or raise may act passive-aggressive, withhold information and drag their feet out of resentment.
2. Promote Transparent Communication
If an employee has an issue, they should feel comfortable bringing it up to their manager. Instead of waiting on their staff, managers must actively reach out to them. Employees engaged in their jobs are more likely to bring up significant issues when there is open communication between them, their managers, and the HR persons.
Additionally, effective communication is crucial for an HR position, as it involves interaction with people. An efficient HR professional can listen to their staff, successfully communicate their ideas and decisions and guide them to handle anything coming their way. HR professionals are crucial in bringing a practical difference to the employee experience – from interviewing job candidates to resolving problems at the workplace. Choosing a program like NMIMS Global’sDistance MBA in Human Resource Management can multiply your potential and possibilities of becoming an impactful HR professional.
3. Encourage Work-Life Balance
To keep employees engaged and content, it’s essential to let them maintain a healthy work-life balance. Ensure your staff can take sick or personal leave. Try to avoid having too many late working evenings or weekends.
4. Ensure They Feel Valued
A valued and appreciated employee is more likely to be motivated, content and engaged at work. To keep the team engaged, ensure they receive constructive feedback. Additionally, taking the time to appreciate your staff members’ efforts is a good idea. Do this in a way that helps them, whether in front of others or not.
5. Take your Team’s Advice into Consideration
Listening to what your staff says and considering their recommendations enables you to demonstrate that you value their thoughts and are taking the necessary steps to improve the workplace culture.
6. Provide Opportunities for Development and Growth
If workers feel stuck in a dead-end job, they are more likely to be unhappy and disengaged at work. It would create opportunities for people to develop and rise within the firm to prevent this. As the employee grows, the organisation succeeds by default. An example is giving training and development chances to regularly present new challenges and stretch responsibilities.
