Quiet Quitting Guide for Businesses
What is quiet quitting
“Quiet quitting” is the phenomenon of employees doing the minimum to satisfy their job requirements but not going above and beyond. In doing so, employees are seeking a better work-life balance. This originated from a TikTok video in March 2022.
“Quiet quitting” has been last year’s verbal punching bag of many companies who are struggling to hire and retain workers as well as get more production out of them. However, “quietly quitting” is really just a signal of the changing times and shifting labor market. Furthermore, it’s a symptom or wide-spread burnout that has spurred the “great resignation” from last year.
In this video, we explain what is “quiet quitting,” where it came from, and how it’s affecting businesses featuring Peak Performers’ Kathi Workman.
Work-Life balance
An increasing importance is being placed on work-life balance in today’s company culture. This becomes increasingly important to retaining workers. While once upon a time work cultures might have been a “give me your all” environment, most successful companies today are finding it important to give employees some space and respect their time off.
While hustle culture is far from dead, it’s important to recognize that many valuable employees are seeking to strike a more even work-life balance. The prospect of being able to set boundaries is exciting and hopeful for many employees.
Effects of the pandemic
The COVID-19 lockdowns forced many people into remote work where it was difficult to find a physical separation between work and home, especially when one’s office is in their bedroom, and when phone calls and emails come through all day long.
Following the nationwide labor shortages, many employees and job seekers have felt empowered to ask for better separation between work and their personal lives and thus has spurred the social media trend of “quiet quitting”
Who is quietly quitting?
It’s estimated that as many 50% of workers have “quietly quit” or are doing the minimum to satisfy their job requirements. People from all levels in organizations as many people struggle to regain a better work-life balance.
Is quietly quitting bad?
Technically, if someone is quietly quitting they are still satisfying the job requirements.
Many employers may become frustrated with not being able to gain as much output from workers, but perhaps we need to be re-evaluating the role expectations for our jobs.
Many workers take offense to the term “quietly quitting” because they feel like it unfairly characterizes them setting boundaries at work.
As an employer, should I be upset?
You can be, but it might be more productive to understand the current trends of the labor market and what employees are seeking from your culture. It’s also important to recognize that some employees can be just as productive and effective even if they’re not available all hours of the day.
At the end of the day, many people want a better work-life balance and quietly quitting is one of the ways that employees are expressing this desire.
It’s also a moment to turn inwards towards company culture since many employees are seeking something deeper than a paycheck and are seeking a mission to stand behind and to be more involved at work.
What can employers do about quiet quitting?
Validate the experience of your employees and tell them they’re doing a great job. Seek to include them more in your company’s culture.
Show compassion and understanding when employees need to disconnect and respect their work-life balance by learning when to bug them and when business can wait.
