Quiet Quitting – What Are You Doing About It?

Empty Desk - Quiet QuittingSince the start of the pandemic, much has been written and said about The Great Resignation. Amidst this conversation, a new term has emerged and is dominating on social media: Quiet Quitting. This term refers to employees exclusively performing the tasks they are paid for without taking on any additional responsibilities or engaging in extracurricular activities at work.

But what is it really? Is it a problem for the workforce, and should business managers be concerned about it? In this article, we will explore the concept even further to have a better understanding of this new concept. Let’s dive in.

What Is Quiet Quitting?

Contrary to its name, quiet quitting has no connection with resigning from your employment. It entails accomplishing nothing more than what is required of you by your employer. You still report to work, but you scrupulously adhere to the constraints imposed by your job description. This includes things like refusing to go to unnecessary meetings, turning down projects, refusing to answer the phone outside work hours, and much more.

While it differs in definition, it is motivated by many of the same underlying motives as genuine resignations. Millions of Americans had to endure a deadly pandemic, a poor economy, the eroding of our civil liberties, and the gradual dissolution of democracy. As a result, we have working-class people who are exhausted, overworked, and burned out, and are attempting to reclaim their agency and reject employment and working situations that are unfit for them.

Quiet quitting, which has grown in popularity as a reaction to pandemic-induced exhaustion, is undoubtedly becoming a trend. This is especially true among the younger workforce, who, in many ways, have experienced the worst of these unusual times.

Is Quiet Quitting a Problem for the American Workforce?

Quiet quitting might not seem like a problem initially, as your employees aren’t abandoning their primary duties. They’re just not willing to go above and beyond them. However, since most employers cannot adequately and fully describe most professions in a written job description or contract, they must rely on their staff to rise to the occasion and take on additional responsibilities. Therefore, it is no surprise that many leaders have reacted somewhat harshly to the trend.

Should You Be Worried as a Manager?

If you notice that an increasing number of your employees are quietly quitting, you should question whether it has something to do with yourself, your leadership qualities, or your direct reports. In either case, give your strategy for working with your team a critical evaluation. Start with this: Do you try to ensure that your employees feel valued and appreciated? Do you make efforts to support your staff in having a supportive work-life balance? Do you take for granted the work they do that is above and beyond? Is it time to sit down with each of your employees and have a frank conversation about their commitment to the job, and the company’s commitment to them.

The Reality of Quiet Quitting

Workers are being asked to put in more effort while receiving insufficient support from their employers. If this doesn’t change, this silent option of work dissociation is expected to gain popularity as the economy worsens and outright quitting becomes less realistic for many people.

One potential way to help ameliorate your employee’s relationship with your company is by showing how generous you are with benefits. Most employees don’t really understand the financial investment you make to their benefits – and, moreover, the dollar value these benefits have to the employees. Tools like total compensation reports from COMPackage make it very easy and cost effective to show employees what you are giving them above and beyond their base pay.

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