How to Keep Your Employees From “Quiet Quitting”
If you’ve been watching the news as of late, you’ve likely heard stories about employees who are “quietly quitting” their jobs. Essentially, this issue is about employees who are burned out at work. Instead of giving their two-week notice and taking their chances at finding a new job, they’re staying at their current job but doing the bare minimum. Employers who notice this issue need to take action immediately. Also, employers that don’t yet see an issue need to be proactive to prevent the fad from occurring in the first place.
What Is Quiet Quitting?
As the world changes, so do public perceptions about work. In the past, employees would go above and beyond regularly — assuming that their hard work would pay off later with a pay raise or a promotion. While that is still the case in many instances, some employees feel like they aren’t getting what they deserve. In some cases, employees may even feel as if their company management is simply taking advantage of their efforts.
Knowing it’s a tough world out there, many people aren’t taking their chances looking for new employment in a competitive market. Instead, they are quietly quitting. Essentially, this is the act of going to work, doing the tasks listed in their job description, but not volunteering for additional tasks, working overtime, or subscribing to the hustle-culture mentality that life is all about work.
Quiet quitting seems like a perfect solution to many employees, but there are pros and cons. On one side, they can still get a paycheck but not push themselves to the limit. However, they risk falling behind when their coworkers still decide to put forth the extra effort.
All in all, quiet quitting is bad for companies because if this phenomenon is hitting your business, then it means the employees are disengaged. Unhappy employees can take shortcuts, and their reduced effort could hurt your bottom line. Management needs to make the necessary adjustments before it’s too late.
Prevent Quiet Quitting From Happening
Your management team may not believe that quiet quitting is happening at your organization. Still, the phenomenon is real, and you don’t want it to affect your business. The solution is to modify your workplace, so employees don’t feel overburdened or left out.
Start by taking the temperature of the people. Management can determine if quiet quitting is occurring by sending out surveys and asking employees how they feel about their job. In particular, ask if and how they feel appreciated in their role. Allow them to respond anonymously and then take the result to heart. Getting a lot of negative feedback may signify that something is wrong with your company culture.
Next, evaluate employee workloads and look at your workflow management. Review the processes at your company and determine if you’re making the maximum use of your employees. If they’re doing a lot of monotonous work and completing menial tasks all day, they’ll naturally be disengaged. Bored and unappreciated, employees can experience burnout, which can snowball into bigger problems within their mental health.
Look at your processes and determine the menial tasks you can automate and reduce the repetition that can often lead to mental fatigue. Also, avoid the desire to require too much multitasking during the day. In addition to overburdening your team, you’re also increasing the chance of errors when they do too much at once. If you don’t take these steps and allow your employees to continue to be miserable, then quiet quitting may be in your future.
Take Care Of Your Employees
There are many reasons why employees may be quietly quitting, so get ahead of the ball by showing your team that you appreciate what they do by providing benefits and opportunities for advancement. Give your employees monthly and annual reviews and provide feedback that can improve their chances of a promotion. If one of your employees shows initiative or wants to move up in the company, show them the next steps they should take.
Management can also get ahead of the curve and prevent quiet quitting by improving employee work-life balance. Don’t force constant overtime. Instead, give your team a work schedule of eight hours and stick to it. Many employees may do the minimum at work because they prioritize what matters at home. They may have kids or want to focus more on their families. If that’s the case, consider a flexible schedule where they can start later in the day or leave earlier as long as they make up the time. An employee could be eternally grateful for your appreciation, and they may show it in their work.
Finally, consider your benefits and what they mean to your staff. Provide vacation, sick time, and mental health days. Also, consider beefing up the retirement plan with a better employer match. When you show you care about your team, your employees will put more effort as repayment.
Quiet quitting is a reality, but your management team can take steps to minimize the impact on your company. Consider these actions and show your team that you care.