In recent weeks, we have been reading more and more about the term quiet quitting. But is it that all employees are leaving without warning?
In recent weeks, we have been reading more and more about the term quiet quitting. But is it that all employees are leaving without warning? No. This trend is changing the relationship between employees and their jobs from the ground up.
It may sound like another word invented to fill headlines, but it’s not. It’s a philosophy that may well be here to stay, so you should know about it!
What’s the Deal With Quiet Quitting?
Like many other phenomena that have been occurring in the workplace in recent months, quiet quitting has its roots in the pandemic. Reality has changed and that is changing people’s needs. If everything you’ve been building for years can collapse in a week… what’s the point of living for work?
Add a simple fact: Generation Z has entered the job market. Those born in the latter part of the 20th century no longer believe that a great work effort is going to secure them an idyllic future. So they decide to place their priorities outside of work.
Quiet quitting is simply a response to the frustration that a whole generation has been experiencing all their lives. If work is not going to bring me happiness, I will work just enough and seek happiness elsewhere. It is a lack of ambition that need not be a negative thing.
I Don’t Want to Overwork
What does work mean? Each generation places a different value on their working hours. We come from many years when working people were valued more highly the more committed they were to their work. But that may be changing. And we can’t simplify it with laziness. It’s not that simple.
The priority that Generation Z is placing on mental health has a lot to do with the process of quiet quitting. Many studies have shown that burnout at work is directly related to anxiety or depression. And it simply doesn’t pay off.
In short, people who resort to quiet quitting decide to distance themselves emotionally from work to avoid burnout. They will not make any extra effort at work because they feel it is not worth it.
How To Deal With Quiet Quitting?
Quiet quitting is nothing more and nothing less than a readjustment of priorities on the part of employees. But it is also a clear indicator of a worsening relationship between employees and the company. Only 30% of young people in the USA feel committed to their jobs.
The situation is not pleasant for either party. So the question is simple: how do you fix this?
- Commitment to employee mental health. The first thing is to build a burden on the part of the company to the happiness of its employees. That goes through a fair salary, yes. But it’s also related to opportunities for advancement, flexible hours and work-life balance, telecommuting… We’ve talked several times on the blog about how important an employee’s comfort is for optimal performance.
- Fostering the human community. Although we sometimes forget, behind companies there are people. Encouraging the value of the team and collectivizing achievements is an unequivocal way of reconnecting the company with its employees. But be careful! It should not be mandatory. The idea is to make it a voluntary thing that brings positive reinforcement for those who attend but not negative for those who choose not to.
- Create a safe space. To avoid silent quiet quitting, the critical concept is communication. The company must be willing to listen to what employees need on an individual basis. And workers must feel the confidence to express these needs. Even if it is not possible to change conditions, keeping an open door to understanding and listening is key to not falling into quiet quitting.
See more:
- As a leader, one of your priorities to avoid quiet quitting is to take care of your employees.
- The four-day workday is a strong demand from workers.
- What will happen to telework?
