What is Quiet Quitting, and how can you avoid it in your office?

Unlike what the name suggests, Quiet Quitters are not quitting or leaving their work. Instead, it is a new workplace phenomenon where employees are rejecting the idea of going “above and beyond” and are only working their standard hours of 8am to 5pm. This term began with a viral TikTok which accumulated over 3 million views and contributed to the phrase’s ubiquity. The term gained even more traction after The Wall Street Journal published an article about it.

Quiet Quitting is becoming a trend not only on social media, but in workplaces all over. After last year’s Great Resignation, this new trend encourages employees to do only the work assigned to them and no more. In fact, according to a recent survey, 1 in every 4 workers are Quiet Quitting. 

But what are the causes behind this new phenomenon? 

Let’s find out.

Why are employees Quiet Quitting?

It is important to understand the root of why employees are Quiet Quitting. It is not that your employees do not want to put in their best work, but perhaps they simply can no longer identify with their company culture. 

There are several factors that contribute to this new workplace trend.

• Burnout: Burnout is a unique form of work-related stress, a state of physical or emotional fatigue with a sense of diminished accomplishment, lowered productivity, and a loss of one’s sense of self. Your employees can fall victim to burnout after a prolonged condition of continuous and excessive pressure. According to reports, burnout is one of the biggest reasons behind employees Quiet Quitting.

• Lack of Work-Life Balance: It is essential for employees to have a healthy boundary around their work lives and work hours, and to strike a good balance with their personal lives. Overworking and not making time for their personal lives can lead to frustration and disengagement among employees. In fact, according to Deloitte’s 2022 Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey, younger generations frequently place a higher priority on a better work-life balance.

• Disengagement: Most employees prefer doing only what is assigned to them because they lack connection to their organization. Being easily and frequently distracted, lacking enthusiasm and interest, and creating minimal output are all signs of a disengaged employee. Employee disengagement acts as one of the root causes of Quiet Quitting. It also reflects on a poor employee experience and employee satisfaction. As a matter of fact, a Fortune article reports that more than 67% of U.S. employees and more than 86% of employees worldwide report not being engaged in their jobs over the past 15 years.

How can you avoid Quiet Quitting in your workplace?

The way to deal with Quiet Quitting is helping your employees engage with their work in a healthy way. 

The key is not to punish them, but to identify why your employees are disengaging, and help them rebuild a connection with your company. There are a few steps your organization can take to move beyond quiet quitting, and foster a healthy and engaging workplace.

1. Identify employees who may be Quiet Quitting: Start from the beginning. Chances are, you already have employees in your organization who are Quiet Quitting. The first step is to identify them, and understand why they are losing focus and interest. Keep an eye out for abnormal levels of stress among your employees. You also need to look for people who are not yet Quiet Quitting, but inching towards burnout.

2. Find out what they need: It is essential to uncover what your employees need in order to avoid burnout and disengagement. Empower employees to identify and set healthy boundaries around their work lives. Conduct surveys beyond the standard once a year pulse survey, and act on the feedback they provide. This will not only help in knowing what your employees need, but also making their opinions heard.

3. Acknowledgement and Recognition: Your employees are people first, and like most people, they appreciate recognition and acknowledgement for their efforts. Not only Employee Recognition Programs, but positive feedback from team leaders and managers on a regular basis can make a lasting impact and encourage your employees to go the extra mile. 

Happy Employees = Better Business!

Personalized, journey-based EX campaigns help companies of all sizes connect with their employees. With the right kind of EX strategy, you can interact with your employees throughout their journey and boost engagement from the very beginning.

Our EX solution at Experience.com is made to humanize everyday excellence by enabling employees to provide ongoing, real-time feedback about their experiences along every step of their journey. This enables you to engage your employees, encourages them to connect with your company and its goals, and allows you to avoid Quiet Quitting at your workplace.