The Quiet Quitting Phenomenon – and why this is fast becoming a significant business problem!
Recently, you might have noticed the term quiet quitting used more often and receiving plenty of attention. Quiet quitting happens when a person decides that work should no longer be the central focus of their life. The hype seemed to stem from a US based TikTok creator whose comments went viral when he talked about “not outright quitting the idea of your job but quitting the idea of going above and beyond” and “no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work has to be your life”.
Over the last few years, an increasing number of workers have grown tired of not receiving recognition and compensation for putting in extra hours. Recent data from Gartner’s HR Survey shows that employee discretionary efforts fell from 17 percent to 15 percent in the quarter to June 2022 as people decide that there is more to life than work. The report says that a key challenge Australian employers will face is maintaining the engagement of a fatigued workforce.
According to the Australian Human Resources Institute, this “probably rings alarm bells for employers, as it suggests they could be facing a wave of presenteeism, combined with record-high absenteeism due to COVI-19 infections and general talent shortages. Now more than ever, we need workforces that are switched on, charged up and ready to add value.”
So why is this a business problem? Because if discretionary effort is reduced and your employees are basically working to rule – doing the minimum work necessary to keep their job – your business productivity will suffer.
What can you do about it?
Stop quiet quitting before it happens. Here are a few of Business 360’s favourite strategies to consider:
- Engage employee’s through supportive leadership. Build positive and trusting relationships where employees want to give their energy to your business and its leaders because you deserve it. Remember that most people still leave their bosses rather than the business, so make sure your leaders and managers have great people management skills.
- Gartner recommends that employers think about staff “in a holistic manner and make sure they rest and recharge when needed.” Make sure you prioritise employee health and wellbeing, especially when your workforce is fatigued and following busy peak periods.
- Focus on recognition – proactively appreciate the efforts of your employees and make this a regular event in your business activities.
- Provide opportunities for flexibility across the board. Globally Ernst & Young put a figure of 50% on the number of people who would quit their jobs for a more flexible opportunity. Even if your workforce cannot work from home, consider other flexible work opportunities such as a compressed working week, flexibility in start and finish times, flexi-days or part time work as several options you could explore.
- Offer growth and development opportunities to demonstrate to your employees that they don’t just have a job but a career with your business. Improved knowledge, skill and capability will also benefit your business in the long run.
For assistance with developing and implementing strategies to protect your business from the phenomenon of quiet quitting, contact us at 1300 287 360 or email info@business360pps.com.au. We also offer tailored training solutions to develop people management skills for your leaders and managers. If you prefer a confidential discussion with one of our directors, click or scan below to book a time to discuss your needs.
