Henry was once a vibrant and dedicated art director at a prestigious creative agency in New Zealand. His hard work and commitment to his career earned him respect and admiration from his team. However, a gradual change was noticed in Henry’s behaviour. He rarely joins team social activities, is absent frequently, and participates less in meetings. The management initially regarded his demeanour as a temporary loss of motivation. But over time, it became much more apparent that Henry’s disengagement at work was a sign of a deeper problem.
The unspoken resignations and subtle farewells at work, as experienced by some employees like Henry, can be dubbed quiet quitting.
What is Quiet Quitting?
If you frequently browse social media, you’ve likely come across many new buzzwords used by millennials and Generation Z to describe the changing workplace environment, one of which is quiet quitting.
Quiet quitting, also known as silent quitting, refers to a work phenomenon where employees disengage and withdraw from their roles without formally resigning. This concept describes employees who are psychologically detached from the workplace and perform tasks strictly limited to those in their job description to avoid being fired.
Some of the reasons why Kiwi employees quietly quit include:
- Concerns about job security or uncertainty about the future of the business.
- Feeling undervalued or unappreciated by the organisation.
- Seeking better work-life balance or flexibility in working arrangements.
- Hefty workload
- Stress due to unrealistic expectations at work
- Toxic workplace or conflict with colleagues
- The effort put into work is not properly acknowledged through promotion or salary.
- Poor leadership
Signs Your Team is Quiet Quitting
Compared to obvious actions like submitting a resignation letter or voicing out dissatisfaction openly, quiet quitting involves subtle behavioural changes, making it hard to recognise. However, if your employees consistently display the behaviours listed below, it may be necessary to inquire about their well-being to ensure they are not quietly quitting.
Declining performance
Producing work below their usual standard, making frequent mistakes, finishing projects late, or missing deadlines suggest that an employee may be experiencing issues that affect their motivation. Identifying and addressing these signs early on can help prevent further disengagement and potential resignation.
Increased absenteeism
When employees no longer feel good at work, they usually try to avoid working by using their vacation and sick leaves as much as possible.
Reduced communication and withdrawal from social interactions
Quiet quitting employees might stop participating in online conversations, become less responsive to emails and messages from colleagues, and not attend after-work gatherings. Staying away from social interactions doesn’t necessarily mean their unhappiness at work comes from their relationship with their teammates, but isolation from them can be a common response when an employee doesn’t feel well.
A sudden change in attitude
An employee who was previously enthusiastic and proactive might be showing signs of quiet quitting if they suddenly become irritable, sceptical about company policies, pessimistic about the organisation’s future, and frequently complain about work-related concerns.
The Antidote to Quiet Quitting
Quiet quitting can have negative impacts on the culture and the overall operations of an organisation. But there are ways to prevent employees from doing so:
Recognise hard work and employee achievements
Make employees feel that their work matters by providing bonuses, pay raises, promotions, or verbal recognition. Letting employees know that you appreciate them can keep them motivated.
Respect employee boundaries
Employers must create policies on workloads and downtime to protect employee mental health and ensure that they find a true balance between their work and personal lives.
Provide regular feedback
Conduct regular performance reviews to help employees gain greater insight into their work. This can also be a great opportunity for employees to express their concerns and issues to their managers and supervisors.
Communicate responsibilities clearly
Employees tend to quietly quit when given work outside of their job duties. Make sure that each employee knows what they are expected to do, and when employees have to take on additional work, make sure that they are fairly compensated for it.
Invest in employee growth
Find ways to expand employee skills and reignite their interest in their roles. Training, mentorship programs, and online courses can provide learning and development opportunities.
Quiet quitting is just one term in a vast list of “quiet” concepts in human resource management and business. Other terms used by today’s workforce include quiet firing, quiet hiring, and quiet cutting.
More than just a snappy phrase, quiet quitting also highlights the importance of setting boundaries and investing in people. It is a reminder that sometimes workplace issues can be overlooked, and recognising the signs can help you establish effective solutions.