The past few years have been rough for businesses. First, the global pandemic shuttered workplaces practically overnight. Then as things started to reopen, we were hit with The Great Resignation—a tight labor market in which dissatisfied employees felt free to leave their jobs for green pastures. Now we’re facing Quiet Quitting. But what is it, and what can you do to curb its effects on your business?
What Is Quiet Quitting?
Quiet Quitting is, in many ways, simply a fancy term for a problem that has long plagued workplaces: employee disengagement. But Quiet Quitters tend to take it a bit further. They intentionally do the bare minimum that is required at work, with no hustle or drive. Quiet Quitters may miss meetings or deadlines, come in as late as possible, and leave as early as they can get away with. They’re not necessarily actively trying to quit their jobs, but they’re not putting any real effort into staying.
Quiet Quitting generally reflects a problem with leadership or work culture within your organization. During the pandemic, workers took time out to reflect on what was truly important to them. And many decided that boundaries and work-life balance are key. When they find themselves in a workplace that doesn’t honor workers’ needs, or constantly pushes them to do more with less, Quiet Quitting is often the result.
How to Reduce Quiet Quitting
It may be impossible to completely rid your workplace of Quiet Quitting, but you can go a long way toward reducing it by placing a renewed focus on boosting employee engagement. Here are a few suggestions:
- One-on-ones: Meeting individually with your employees on a regular basis gives you a better window into their needs and feelings. Monitor them for signs of burnout, offer support, and encourage them to open up to you.
- Employee recognition: People tend to engage more when they feel that their contributions are valued. Implement an across the board employee recognition program that includes both individual and team rewards.
- Clear goals and role definitions: Your team has been working hard under difficult conditions for a long time. Step back and analyze your organizational goals and how each team member’s work ties into those objectives. Then communicate that information with your employees. They want to know that what they’re doing has a genuine purpose and makes a real difference. Also make sure that roles are clearly defined and nobody is shouldering too much of the load.
- Career development opportunities: You’re less likely to see Quiet Quitting if you offer your employees an ongoing path for growth and development. From job shadowing and mentorships to tuition reimbursement, provide concrete ways for your team members to learn and grow.
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