Quiet Quitting: How Employers Can Support Employees

 

Two plus years of work pressure have fueled uncertainty, stress, burnout, “the great resignation,” “the great reevaluation,” and now, “quiet quitting.”

If you haven’t heard the term, you should know that quiet quitting has nothing to do with actual quitting.

Instead, it’s a rejection of the “hustle culture.” Some employees are deciding to limit their work to only what’s expected — not going above and beyond, not taking on that “extra” project and instead, simply doing what’s expected (what’s in their job description) and nothing more.

What does this mean for organizations that are built on getting 110% or more from employees? Will it impact the future career advancement of the “quiet quitters?” Or is this simply a needed course correction to prioritize life in a work/life balance equation?

 

Setting the stage for quiet quitting

The pandemic forced many organizations into survival mode —cutting jobs, furloughing and asking more of the workers that remained. There was little complaining because no one had much choice — organizations or workers.

But at the same time, lives were rearranged and our priorities shifted. Life, hobbies, families grew in importance.

Then, as the pandemic started to lift, exhausted and burned-out employees began to feel empowered, leaving their jobs in droves. And data from Gallup and Deloitte reflects the current work climate. Stress is at an all-time high with 44% of employees reporting that they experience a lot of daily stress. Forty-five percent of Millennials and GenZ report feeling burned out at work. And employee engagement is stagnant again with only 34% of employees being engaged at work.

 

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Charting a course for organizations

It’s clear that employee expectations have shifted. Work-life balance and well-being —employees’ personal needs — are taking a bigger piece of the equation when they’re considering if a job is a good fit. They still want competitive salaries, respect, opportunities for growth, recognition for a job well done and all the other usual things, but they’re less and less willing to compromise their own needs. That’s why it’s critical that organizations understand what matters to individual workers.

Additionally, low employee engagement is nothing new. And while it’s not directly tied to quiet quitting, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be monitoring it. From a low of 26% in 2000 and 2005 to today’s figures of 34%, engagement is key because it impacts work quality, productivity and a worker’s intention to stay in a job. While there is no secret formula to keeping your employees from quiet quitting, keeping employees motivated and engaged means they are more likely to take ownership.

Another factor in addressing quiet quitting is managing the stress of work. Feelings of powerlessness are a universal cause of job stress, according to the American Psychological Association. Clarifying priorities and expectations, adding flexibility, and making deadlines and outcomes realistic can help ease stress. Ensuring workers have the necessary skills they need to deal with the people and work demands can also keep morale up.  

 

Quiet quitting probably won’t go away overnight. And maybe we shouldn’t be hoping for that. It’s an opportunity for organizations to re-evaluate how work is done, what we expect of our workforces and what our workforces can expect from us. By creating workplaces where employees are empowered and valued and by curbing unnecessary or sustained stress, we can help to reengage employees, build their loyalty and still allow for the work/life balance we all need.