According to a Gallup study, 50% of the US labour force may be involved in the “quiet quitting” movement. A similar, albeit relatively modest trend, has also surfaced in India. A Slack study reveals that about 16% of the country’s knowledge workers are quitting quietly.
Unsurprisingly, this new phenomenon has put all organisations on high alert. The Great Resignation and The Great Attrition have already caused quite a stir, but quitting quietly may be worse. But why?
Quiet quitting indicates that the person will continue to work but will only put forth what is necessary. This reduces productivity and causes team conflict and absenteeism. While quiet quitting has always existed in some form across various industries, the phrase only became prominent and well-known in 2022 after a TikTok video went viral, mentioning it.
Essentially, quiet quitting is more appropriately described as slang for employees no longer working beyond the call of duty. Leaders and managers are having trouble with the idea of ‘quiet quitting’ because it reduces productivity and becomes detrimental to the company’s bottom line, and understandably so.
Quiet quitting is picking up steam, making it challenging for businesses to assess the workforce based on this criterion as it’s hard to pick.
How Quiet Quitting Challenges Organisations?
Organisations are concerned as an increasing number of workers exhibit their intent to quietly leave their positions via mediocre performances. This raises issues in terms of reduced work efforts and the inability to complete the bare minimum tasks. More than someone who physically quits their job, someone who mentally quits hurts the value chain.
Leaders are having a difficult time breaking the ice because there are many different possible causes for this. According to a Conference Board survey, 31% of workers would like to resign from their positions even as a severe recession approaches. Quiet quitting has emerged as a significant barrier for all organisations this year, whether it be because people no longer enjoy their jobs, do not find them challenging enough, or are dealing with a toxic workplace environment.
Also read: Holding the core values through change with continuity
Is This an Opportunity to Relook at Company Culture?
Yes, this is an excellent opportunity to focus on the reasons why employees are experiencing these emotions and participating in silent quitting. Organisations need to reconsider the underlying ideologies that are driving this trend.
Reinvigorate Leadership Abilities
Leadership plays a crucial role in retention strategies. A good leader must provide much more than just assistance with the current project. Employees want a leader they can count on during times of crisis, be it personal or professional. To that end, leaders must have a thorough understanding of how to interact with all generations of workers, including millennials and Gen Z, among others. Each group has different requirements, so a team leader needs to be able to discern what each member of the team wants and where their passion lies. This way, their jobs can be re-designed for the best results and outputs.
Finding the Real Issue or Loophole
According to a study by Naukri.com, 41% of workers want to leave their jobs in order to pursue growth-oriented career opportunities, while 34% cite bad culture and policies as the reason for their decision of leaving. The survey also outlined how 31% of employees value and prefer working under managers who provide timely feedback and motivate them.
This makes it abundantly clear how various factors influence people. Management must be prepared to understand these factors and prevent team members from quitting quietly. The likelihood that this phenomenon will spread can be decreased by holding regular feedback sessions and making an effort to comprehend the real problem.
Looking at Workplace Boundaries
Employees today seek a better work-life balance with appropriate boundaries and personal space in light of the changes brought about by the pandemic. Often, businesses make things difficult for their workers by placing unreasonable demands on them or by offering insufficient benefits and resources. This needs to change.
Letting Go of Hustle Culture
An article in the Harvard Business Review outlines this issue exhaustively. Companies demand a lot of effort but are unable to support employee development in a comparable way. This hustle culture has to stop. Employee burnout is a worrying situation, which is why people are losing interest in continuing. Organisations must work towards prioritising their employees above everything else.
A key component of any strategy, be it related to marketing, sales, or finance, is identifying and retaining competent talent. Along those lines, organisations must invest in addressing the different needs and expectations of their workers.
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