In recent years, recruiters have witnessed various disruptions in the world of talent acquisition, including the Great Resignation. Lately, a new term, “Quiet Quitting”, has emerged to describe a growing alternative to resigning. A 2022 Gallup study shows that ‘quiet quitters’ encompass approximately half of the US workforce. Social media has also been abuzz with debate about quiet quitting and all that it entails.

So, what exactly is quiet quitting? Let’s take a closer look.

What Is Quiet Quitting?

Quiet Quitting is not about workers actually quitting their jobs. In a viral post with over 3.5 million views, TikTok user Zaid Khan defines quiet quitting as “quitting the idea of going above and beyond” and “no longer subscribing to the hustle-culture mentality that work has to be your life.”

The term is used to refer to employees undertaking the minimum requirements of their jobs without putting in more effort or time than absolutely necessary. It stems from the notion that work should not take over a person’s life beyond whatever their job descriptions outline. This could take various forms of action, such as leaving the office on time, not taking calls outside of working hours, declining non-mandatory meetings, or turning down extra projects.

Why Is Quiet Quitting On The Rise?

A major fallout of the pandemic was how it altered people’s expectations from their jobs. A global rise in inflation has affected work-life boundaries for employers and employees.

Experts affirm that the concept of quiet quitting has taken off in the wake of associated trends such as the Great Resignation and the anti-work movement. According to the 2022 Gallup study, 50% of US employees state that they’re not engaged at work, meaning that they “do the minimum required and are psychologically detached from their job”. Another 18% of workers claim to be “actively disengaged,”; Gallup defines this group as people who are “resentful that their needs are not being met and are acting out their unhappiness.”

As a growing number of workers face burnout, there has been renewed focus on personal health and wellbeing. Quiet quitting is an individual response to this shift in viewpoint, and is increasingly being perceived as a sustainable and healthy way of working. For today’s workers, it’s all about setting healthy boundaries and being engaged at work without burning out.

What Is The Concern Around Quiet Quitting?

The primary concern regarding quiet quitting is that it indicates a disconnect between the employee and the employer regarding expectations. The issue is not that employees are unwilling to do extra work, but that they do not trust their employers to adequately moderate their workload or express due appreciation for their endeavors.

This growing trend of quiet quitting can potentially have damaging effects, including negatively impacting the employer-employee relationship, increasing dissatisfaction in workers, and creating conflict and toxicity in the workplace. It is vital for employers and managers to recognize any issues that may be contributing to the quiet quitting trend and correct the problems directly.

How To Address The Issue Of Quiet Quitting

Encourage Open Communication

Data from Gallup strongly indicates that managers need to have one-to-one conversations with employees to help them deal with issues like burnout and disengagement. According to the report, the best habit for successful managers is to have one 15-30-minute conversation per week with individual team members. Employees need to feel comfortable coming to their employers with any concerns. Managers also need to make a point of checking in on their employees regularly rather than waiting on them.

Maintain Boundaries

Setting and maintaining clear boundaries at work can be highly effective in addressing quiet quitting practices. This allows the employee to know their time is respected, and prevents managers or colleagues from overstepping or encroaching on one’s personal time. This can include taking steps like making it optional to respond to after-hours calls/emails, rewarding a person for staying late by allowing them to leave early another day, or intervening when an employee is pressured by a manager or co-worker to overwork. The more vocally a leader advocates their employees’ right to private time, the less likely team members will feel the need for quiet quitting.

Create Opportunities For Growth

Employees who feel they are stuck in dead-end jobs are highly likely to be discontent and disengaged at work. Employers need to provide opportunities for workers to grow and advance within the organization. Upskilling, training programs, and developmental opportunities are all great ways to make the employee feel motivated and valued. If a person feels their organization is taking care of them and looking out for their career prospects, it will lead to greater employee satisfaction.

Offer Flexibility

Employees appreciate it when they are provided flexibility in their work schedules and their needs are accommodated. Apart from essential attendance requirements such as for important meetings and the like, it’s good to allow different options like remote work or working from home. Focusing on the work that a person is putting out rather than the number of hours put in can go a long way in keeping people happy at work.

Make Your Employees Feel Valued

A major cause of quiet quitting is due to the fact that often workers do not feel appreciated for all the extra work and hours they are putting in. It’s important that employees are not made to feel that their efforts are taken for granted. Take the time to acknowledge and reward their hard work, be it privately or publicly. Provide positive and constructive criticism to keep them motivated and engaged in their jobs. Salaries should be competitive with market rates and modern living standards, with adequate compensation for outstanding effort or results.

Experiencing feelings of isolation, frustration, and stress with one’s job could lead to more and more employees turning to quiet quitting. It’s critical for employers and organizations today to invest in their employees and design jobs that provide workers with control, engagement, motivation, and a sense of fulfilment.

At Employvision, a leading IT recruitment agency, we have been in the business of recruiting top IT talent for over 15 years, and we know how important it is for people to feel respected for what they do.

If you need the best technology talent, Employvision is here to help. Contact us and start hiring great talent right away!