Quiet quitting: what it is and how to best deal with it

The Great Resignation, hybrid working, quiet quitting. 2022 has thrown up a number of new phrases to add to the business lexicon. The first two are pretty self-explanatory, but when I first heard the phrase “quiet-quitting,” I assumed it meant people resigning from their jobs and not telling anyone. That would make for an interesting workplace: Monday – “Where’s Judy...?” Tuesday – “Where’s Bob...?”

As it turns out, quiet-quitting is a bit of a misnomer. Rather than quitting their job, people who engage in quiet quitting are only quitting doing more than they have to. Quiet quitting is the notion that employees will take care of their assigned job responsibilities, but nothing more. They won’t stay late at work to finish a project, go above and beyond expectations, or attend non-mandatory meetings. They won’t answer emails outside office hours.

The trend emerged initially via the social video platform TikTok. It has since divided people into two groups: those who believe quiet quitting is a justifiable response to the hardships of the pandemic and a smart way to prevent burnout, and those who believe quiet quitting is an excuse for slacking off.

If someone is taking actions consistent with quiet quitting in order to set boundaries around their work and nurture their wellbeing, this is not necessarily a bad thing for their employer. While having an employee work less may seem concerning, we know that the number of hours worked does not directly correlate with productivity. Japan is known for a working culture of extremely long hours and yet it consistently sits near the bottom of OECD productivity tables. If, by setting boundaries around their work, and focusing on activities related to the core purpose of their role, an employee discovers better focus and more energy, their output is likely to be of higher quality.

Of course, in the above example, it would be wise for the staff member to communicate their intentions and reasoning to their manager, so that the manager is not confused by the change in work practices, and to ensure no vital tasks are left with no one to execute them.

Regular and open communication between with your staff is crucial to identifying if quiet quitting is an issue in your business. A good leader knows their people well and will notice if there is a change in behaviour. If a usually upbeat staff member’s demeanour takes a turn toward the negative, someone who is known for being prompt starts showing up late, or someone who normally takes pride in their appearance begins to look a bit disheveld, it can be a signal that they are disengaging from their work.

The first step would be to identify if the issue is primarily work-related or one in their personal life that is affecting engagement in their work. Leaders can be reluctant to venture into this area but if they have put the work into building strong, trusting relationships with their people, the task is much easier. Framing the conversation with “I’ve noticed that [describe the change you’ve observed]. Is there anything going on that I can support you with?” is a good start. There is no judgement implied about the change, just an invitation to talk about it.

If it is an issue in their personal life, empathy and a bit of breathing space while they work through it is sometimes all that is needed. Providing access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) if possible, is another support mechanism that many organisations offer.

In the absence of a personal reason for the apparent disengagement, asking both task-related and people-related questions can help both leader and staff member work out what is behind the change:

- Are they feeling stimulated and challenged by their work?

- Do they feel they have a good variety of tasks in their day/week?

- Do they have a degree of control over how they achieve their outcomes?

- Is their workload manageable?

- Do they feel valued by the organisation?

- How are their relationships with colleagues?

- Do they get to see the impacts of their work?

Showing a genuine care for the employee and a desire to help will encourage openness on their part. The leader has more power than the employee to make changes in the above area, so following through on any commitments and then communicating back to them demonstrates an authentic desire to support.

If you are feeling your motivation and energy for your work is waning, ask yourself...

- When did you last take some time off (may need to refresh and re-energise)

- Do you need a new challenge within your role (eg project, professional learning)

- Do you need to make a clearer delineation [big word] between work and home to be able to fully enjoy both

- Do you need to step back and do some big-picture thinking about your work, instead of being stuck in the day-to-day tasks or the fighting fires?

This article originally featured in Sarah's "Connections" column in The Otago Daily Times on 24 November 2022