Over the last 6 months a movement has spread throughout workforces called ‘quiet quitting’. It has become a viral trend across TikTok video this summer, the term quiet quitting may be a new, but the idea has been around for decades and has also been known as ‘work-to-rule’.
What does quiet quitting mean? Employees who are not satisfied with their current workload and are refusing to be flexible or go that extra mile outside of their job specification. Quiet quitters can actively refuse to do tasks outside of their job description and are setting realistic boundaries of what’s expected from them as an employee.
This work approach highly values the work / life balance and is very much on the side of ’work to live not live to work’. Many employees are quite quitting and this has been fuelled by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which saw many staff members embark on working from home where lines became blurred, they were contacted by their Line Managers outside of working hours, through various communication channels and access to work devices inside of the home had never been so accessible – remember the days when you left your computer behind in the office to return the next morning and pick up your duties, with little or no interruption during your personal time? Those days are over and that is partly to blame for quiet quitting.
Why should managers prevent their employees from quiet quitting?
At present, there is a global skills shortage, the labour market remains tight and good staff are hard to come by. Now, quiet quitting doesn’t always mean that employees are going to eventually resign but it could mean that they are close to burn out. Something that should be prevented.
How do you recognise the signs of quiet quitting?
If your employees are disengaged and prickly this could be a sign of quiet quitting. Another sign can be lack of excitement about new projects, minimal interest in training or engaging with other team members.
How can you prevent quiet quitting?
Organisations should set out clearly to their employees what is expected of them prior to joining the company. To create a team that performs well and is motivated, an inclusive workspace should be established where members of staff feel valued and are able to bring ideas to the table. The culture should also have a good work / life balance that is supportive of childcare arrangements, medical needs and so on. Organisations should also offer their employees career progression and training, as this will not only benefit productivity but also ensure that team members feel valued and are there for the long time.
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