Re-engage the Quiet Quitters

In case you have been drowning in your own business and missed the recent trend, "Quiet quitting" refers to a situation where employees disengage from their work or organization without overtly expressing their dissatisfaction or formally resigning. Instead of handing in a resignation letter or raising concerns openly, these employees become emotionally detached, disinterested, and may reduce their effort and commitment.

The pendulum is always swinging.

MOST employees want to work at certain companies because they are interested in the business or that industry. Most employees are excited about their work and want to make an impact. Believe it or not, people will go above and beyond without the lure of monetary reward. People will go above and beyond to satisfy their own work ethic and feel like they made a difference so why did the trend of quiet quitting take off?

The pendulum swung.

Employers had a moment where business was great, and employees were easy to come by. They were overly confident and didn’t appreciate what they had.

Employees took action… or stopped acting. They weren’t valued and their employers wouldn’t even notice their contribution if they gave one.

The pendulum is swinging again. Business is tough. The economy is not vibrant. The business we do have moving needs to be sustained.

Let’s get to the point. Let’s briefly look at a few reasons why people “quiet quit”, and what we can do to prevent it or change course WITHOUT PAY INCREASES (in no particular order)?

1.       Lack of Recognition: Recognition is more than applause. Recognition could simply be acknowledging that someone’s contribution or even their presence matters.

REMEDY RECOMMENDATION:

-   In addition to the frequent “thank-you”, if an employee brings an idea to the table that won’t be enacted on, thank them for the idea. Table it for future consideration or recognize the idea as something that was or will be used to build on other ideas that may work. Brainstorming is valuable and every idea should be recognized and heard. If not, why bother speaking up?

-   Survey your employees. Some people love public recognition, some people are embarrassed by it. Recognize employees the way they will be most impacted.

2.       Unhealthy Work Environment: This has often been thought of as a toxic culture, favoritism, or gossip. Since the advancement of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), an overarching effort to appear equal has caused those who excel to pull back. If everyone gets the same, then why try harder than the rest?

REMEDY RECOMMENDATION:

-          Consider how your fairness policies are working. Is it based on merit or factors the employee cannot control?

-          Are projects distributed to who is the best for the job, who has shown dependability and excellence or based on “fairness”?

-          There is no “one-size fits all” anymore. Are you offering a work environment that produces the best results for your organization. Does your business require collaboration or independence? Are you hiring the right personality type for your business needs?

-          Be mindful of your employees’ values. An employee may have strong work values and ethics but when they see the company take short cuts or disrespect customers (anything against their work values), they will distance themselves away from the company they don’t align with.

3.       Limited Growth Opportunities: An employee may love their role and what they are doing but if they are not growing, they are dying. Employees need to see there are growth opportunities and have something to strive for.

REMEDY RECOMMENDATION:

-          Are raises being given based on contribution and merit or are they annual and everyone gets one? Consider better raises for those who are exceptional.

-          Is there seniority or title changes that reflect experience? What do you offer your employees to give you their best, their loyalty and knowledge other than depending on their ethics?

-          Are promotions applied for or offered to those who are worthy? If a promotion is required to be applied for, consider suggesting it to your top 3 choices and then discuss the role individually before making your choice. You already know them and their work. Asking them to apply to a promotion like a stranger is disrespectful. Offering a promoted role to anyone inside or outside the company devalues the role.  If a current employee is going to apply for a job, why not apply outside of your company to someone who might appreciate their value?

4.       Fear of Retribution: When concerns are brought up, is management offering excuses or gratitude? Do employees feel welcome bringing up problems they are seeing? Are their solutions being heard or are they thought of as not being team players and exiled from opportunities? If the employee is not making an impact and making their world a better place, they will do what it takes to not be fired until they can make a difference somewhere else.

REMEDY RECOMMENDATION:

-          A good coach, mentor or manager needs to coach, mentor and manage. Leaders need to be trusted by their employees. Your wisdom and experience are only valuable if your employees value you. Ask good questions to help your employees discover solutions. Do they need correction? If so, do so with respect and care. Reprimand is for children. Be a leader who can be trusted to come to with problems.

-          Be willing to receive feedback more than you want to give it. When a problem is brought to your attention, explain your “why”. This is much different than making an excuse for why something was done or defending your stance. Take no offense when something is challenged. Be grateful it was brought to your attention and seriously consider the validity. Sharing your “why” gets the employee back on your side. Playing defense and making an excuse such as, “leadership is moving forward with the project whether it’s ready or not” is not going to win support.

5.       Lack of Communication: In competitive sports, the coach shares the goal, the vision and strategy. Everyone on the team puts their hands in the middle of the circle and cheers, “Go Team”. Is your team excited to join in their hands?  Is your vision clear? Are your decisions in agreement with your mission and goals? Do your words match your actions? When was the last time you shared your compelling “why” with your team? Do they believe you?

REMEDY RECOMMENDATION:

-          Evaluate what is communicated and how it is communicated to your team. Are your people on board or just nodding along?

-          I don’t believe all employees should (or want to) know all things about the business but do you have a culture of secrecy? Some secrets cultivate the rumor mill. Rumors are often much harsher than the truth you were trying to keep secret. Uncertainty can cause frustration and like a bad relationship, they will distance themselves or break up with you before you can break up with them.

-          Do not wait to course correct. Flying an airplane or driving a car is constant course correction. If you neglect to correct immediately, if you avoided disaster, you could be way off course. Make sure the mission is always in focus. Letting your employees know that you always have the mission in mind strengthens trust and keeps them going in the right direction.

-          Take inventory of your sensitivity. If an employee can’t get on board with one of your ideas and they share with you that they don’t think it’s a good idea, learn and grow from it.  Always be prepared and willing to give an answer to everyone who asks for it. Employees are much more likely to cooperate if they can get behind your “why”, but no one is right 100% of the time. An idea or concept that sucks is just against the idea, not you or the company overall.

Burnout happens when you are spinning your wheels. When an employee feels like nothing they do matters, they will behave like nothing they do matters.

Some employees may quiet quit because of several reasons. They may be averse to any confrontation so they just get by and hide in the dark. They may not have the work ethic in the first place. We can’t force change on anyone, but we can change ourselves. I hope you are encouraged as a business owner to ask yourself if you are doing everything you can to have the most engaging, productive, and successful team you can. Mitigate factors that lead to silent disengagement which cost you lost revenue for your company and your employees will be right back on your side and enjoying a thriving career.