‘Quiet Quitting’ Explained: Here’s What Recruiters Need to Know About This Buzzword

What is ‘Quiet Quitting?

If you’re new to this jargon, don’t worry; we’ve uncovered everything!

Quiet Quitting is a pushback against the overbearing pressure of work. It is widely associated with employee burnout, involving conscious disengagement from work.

Rather than leaving their jobs, employees are doing the bare minimum required and setting firm boundaries.

But is this all that bad?

Prioritizing a healthy work-life balance is nothing new. If the Great Resignation has taught us anything, it’s that people aren’t afraid to walk away from toxic work cultures.

What Can You Do About Quiet Quitting?

Quiet Quitting doesn’t necessarily mean an employee is slacking off. It means they are dissatisfied with their role and are losing interest in work.

One of the main reasons for this behaviour is stressful work environments and a hustle culture mentality.

We suggest this two-pronged approach if you really want to know what’s causing Quiet Quitting at your workplace.

1. Deep Dive Into Your HR Data

Quiet Quitting doesn’t just happen out of the blue. If you want to address this issue, take a look at the existing data.

Is the employee turnover rate higher compared to others in the industry? Have absences risen without explanation? Have salaries improved over time?

Look at the underlying trends in your HR data to figure out what is triggering employee dissatisfaction. This way, you’ll get a better scientific understanding of the situation and will be able to address it objectively.

2. Evaluate Organizational Culture

We all know employee disengagement has a direct impact on workplace culture. Without a positive culture, retaining and attracting talent becomes much more challenging.

A great way to evaluate your organizational culture is by checking employee review sites like Glassdoor. These insights give you a sneak peek into the general employee sentiment.

It’s also good to look inwardly by gathering feedback and conducting regular check-ins. Don’t be afraid to have one-on-one conversations with disengaged workers.

Ultimately, understanding employee expectations and taking action help build employee trust and engagement.

Now that you know how to figure out the reasons behind Quiet Quitting, here are some best practices that you can follow to curb this trend at your workplace.

3 Ways By Which You Can Encourage Quiet Quitters to Be More Engaged

Let’s be honest. Employees have endured a lot over the last few years. Be it the recession or the pandemic. It’s reasonable for everyone to want to decompress.

Of course, work must still go on, and encouraging employee engagement is integral to getting things done in the workplace.  

After all, the average person spends a third of their life at work, and people shouldn’t waste that time on unfulfilling work! 

So here’s what leaders and HR professionals can do to encourage employee engagement.

1. Foster Constant Communication

Communication is a big part of employee engagement, especially if you’re dealing with remote workers.

To keep employees engaged, organize regular meetings as a team to keep everyone in the loop. Regular communication builds an understanding of how individual team members impact organizational outcomes.

When employees understand how they are connected to organizational goals, their performance can improve by up to 10%.

2. Discuss Responsibilities in Detail

Setting the standard for employee engagement begins before an employee has even joined.

When hiring new employees, it’s important to clearly highlight the job responsibilities and a list of daily tasks expected to be part of the role.

Recruiters and hiring managers must ensure they actively hire candidates with the same values.

Whether through a job description, an interview, or while working with an employee, ensure that the expectations are clearly defined to avoid disengagement.

3. Show that You Care!

Employees are motivated by feedback and respect!

Take the time to acknowledge their hard work with timely feedback highlighting strengths and where they can improve.

This will give employees a sense of purpose, encouraging them to feel more engaged.

Something as simple as tuning into what your team has to say can boost engagement levels.

Ask how you can make their job easier. Employees usually have some of the best answers when it comes to streamlining their processes!

Key Takeaways

It’s no news that employee engagement is the foundation of positive work culture.

By creating healthy boundaries and managing realistic expectations, you can create an engaging work environment that benefits everyone.

As employees continue to prioritize a work-life balance, it’s time recruiters recheck their hiring strategies and employee expectations to hold strong grounds against Quiet Quitting.