As we’ve discussed in previous posts, quiet quitting is a phenomenon that’s here to stay. This workplace trend has inspired millions of employees to “act their wage,” which is to say, setting boundaries and choosing not to go above and beyond their basic job description.
Evidence shows that quiet quitting is common, and that it’s resulted in a significant erosion of engagement, productivity, and morale. But while managers and HR leaders may not have the power to end this phenomenon, there is much they can do to address it proactively.
How to Address Quiet Quitting
1) Talk to your people.
There are any number of reasons why employees might disengage, but often it boils down to the feeling that leaders don’t really care about them or don’t do enough to support them. Start by simply asking employees how work is going, and how the company can better support them. One-on-ones, town halls, and employee surveys may all be appropriate forums. Help employees to see that you care.
As employees present problems or frustrations, it’s important that you show them that their concerns aren’t falling on deaf ears. You may not be able to solve every problem, but you can often provide greater resources. You can also invite employees to collaborate with you, working together to arrive at creative solutions.
Again, the point isn’t so much to fix every problem. The point is to help employees feel seen, heard, cared for, and engaged in decision-making.
2) Recognize employees.
Employees can feel disengaged when they feel like their contributions to the team aren’t seen or aren’t celebrated. We’d recommend creating a culture of celebration, where you take time on a regular basis to have team leaders and managers acknowledge the good work their personnel are doing. And when the whole team scores a big win (completing a major project, bringing in a huge new client, exceeding sales benchmarks), that’s definitely an occasion for a team lunch or some treats around the office.
3) Provide mentorship opportunities.
Still another reason why employees succumb to “quiet quitting” is the feeling that their career trajectory is stalled, or that the organization doesn’t support their development or advancement. Creating an environment where each individual feels valued is paramount to a business and the level of success it achieves. Leadership who understands this and executes a strategy that pulls the best of each generation together, fitting it into the purpose of the organization, will become an employer of choice in the marketplace. A simple way to address this is by creating a mentorship program in your company that allows for a younger employee to learn from the more senior employee and through reverse mentoring relationships that allows for the younger employee to mentor a more experienced employee. The result often leads to a deeper personal connection and a more meaningful professional relationship between the employees.
Take Action Against Quiet Quitting
These steps may not put an end to the quiet quitting phenomenon, but they can go a long way toward keeping a majority of your team members fully engaged. Questions? We’d love to talk further about this. Reach out to WhiteWater Consulting today and pickup a copy of our book “Unprecedented” to learn more.