Everything HR teams need to know about quiet quitting

According to recent research from The Society for Human Resource Management, more than 51% of the surveyed HR professionals are worried about the negative impact caused by quiet quitting. It has now become a trend prevalent mostly among the younger generation of employees. But what is quiet quitting, and what causes employees to quiet quit? Most importantly, how can organizations overcome this negative trend?

What is quiet quitting?

When quiet quitting, employees do only what is required for their role, and they no longer put in the extra effort that they may have otherwise. They are not concerned about climbing up the career ladder, following the "hustle" mindset, or coming up with new initiatives and strategies for taking their organization to the next level. Employees who practice quiet quitting will not work beyond their scheduled hours or take on additional work, even during crucial times like product releases or campaigns.

What triggers quiet quitting?

Here are some of the factors that cause employees to quiet quit:

• Disengagement

Your employees will be motivated to go above and beyond for their jobs when they are engaged and have a good relationship with your organization. Disengaged employees simply show up to their workplace, and most of the time they are cut off from their team and don't feel connected with their organization. In such cases, employees do the bare minimum just to ensure that they stay with their organization; they are not concerned with contributing to the organization's success.

• Excessive workload

Always being overloaded with work may force employees to give up on their jobs. The excess workload may affect their work-life balance and cause severe burnout. This can also occur if an organization hired an employee for a particular role but gave them responsibilities that are completely outside of their skillset and experience. The overwhelming demand can cause employees to lose interest in their job.

• Unsupportive work environment

Nothing drains employees of their enthusiasm like a discouraging work environment. When employees are not recognized for their good work or are underpaid compared to industry standards, they'll never go the extra mile. Similarly, when they are subject to micromanagement and not trusted to work independently, employees may lose their desire to innovate and grow. They also may struggle to unlock their full potential when their organization doesn't offer proper training and resources.

How can organizations overcome quiet quitting?

Here are a few strategies that your organization can adopt to prevent quiet quitting:

• Treat your employees fairly

Employees will go above and beyond when they know that they are supported and treated fairly for the work they do. Encourage managers to make it a point to publicly recognize their employees. This appreciation can happen when employees innovate, complete deadlines for important projects on time, or take on new projects. You could also revisit your compensation and benefits package and take steps to make sure that it's on par with the industry standards and meets employee expectations. Offer good rewards and fair raises during performance reviews. Be sure to protect employees from any kind of workplace discrimination, whether it's based on gender, age, experience, or ethnicity.

• Don't micromanage

When employees are constantly monitored and told what to do, they're often worried about taking steps on their own and can feel much less satisfied with their work. On the other hand, working independently and making small mistakes every once in a while can help them learn to solve work-related issues on their own. It can also encourage them to find creative resolutions to problems. As a first step, educate your managers about how micromanagement can lead to quiet quitting and damage your organization's workplace culture. Understand how employees want to be guided and mentored, as well as how often they want their work to be reviewed.

• Drive them toward a common purpose

When your employees understand what they are working towards, they'll feel confident about the work they do and will be much less likely to give into quiet quitting. Be sure your employees understand your company's culture and mission, and make them aware of how its products and services align with its core values. During performance reviews, encourage managers to let employees know the impact of their work.

• Facilitate career growth

Career stagnation can truly make employees feel stuck and prevent them from being as productive as they once were. This is usually because the work becomes less interesting or challenging. That's why it's crucial to offer career development opportunities that are relevant to your employees' realm of expertise. It can be in the form of mentoring sessions, a training or certification opportunity, a leadership development opportunity, or even an important project. When you get involved in their career growth, they'll feel valued and become more motivated to contribute.

• Build team spirit

Having a wonderful team of employees that goes above and beyond to share feedback, spark creativity, and exchange innovative ideas is one of the key factors that motivates employees to look forward to their work every day. Organize fun activities for your employees every now and then so that they get to interact and bond in a casual environment. Build a culture that promotes empathy, trust, compassion, and respect, and prevent discrimination of any sort.

Wrapping up

Quiet quitting, when left unchecked, can seriously damage your workforce's morale. It can foster a negative work environment that has low productivity and high turnover. With the steps listed above, you can take steps to prevent this trend before it even gets to your organization.