The concept of quiet quitting has obviously been around for years, but emerged overtly in 2022, after the pandemic upended work attitudes. The phrase gained popularity on TikTok, where many millennials and Gen-Zers took it up. Although some of the quiet but stubborn resistance is subsiding, managers must still deal with the fallout.
How to spot a quiet quitter
It is easy to recognize the signs. Does one of your team appear mentally checked out? Do they tend to arrive late and leave early? Are they socially distant, engaging in short and socially guarded conversations? Do they show up to meetings when summoned, but then sit there passively, saying and doing nothing?
As a manager, you recognize chronic disengagement when you see these traits:
- Maintaining performance at minimum standards
- Showing subtle psychological detachment
- Practicing absenteeism
- Withdrawing from non-essential conversations, activities and tasks
- Forcing other teammates to pick up the slack
- Turning down new projects and not volunteering for tasks
- Refusing to go the extra mile
- Claiming to be too busy to help out coworkers
- Stalling and pushing back
If you look for underlying reasons, you may discover some of this rebellion is rooted in resentment over an unsatisfactory work-life equation. The employee may avoid outright insubordination. Instead, they may be trying to deprioritize their job as a way to redress a perceived imbalance.
Younger workers, in particular those of Gen Z (who are also often avid TikTok followers) have now found themselves empowered in ways unimagined by the employees who came of age in the tight job markets after 2008. All groups now enjoy access to resources like technological advances and learning about peers’ compensation.
Boundaries
Today’s teams are determined to protect their own physical and mental well-being while carving out space for their other priorities. Many would prefer just to check in remotely, go through the motions and call it a day.
A study by Deloitte has shown that work-life balance and learning development rank as top priorities among Gen Z and millennials. In consequence, quiet quitting may reflect a disconnect between management and workers—workers who do not trust their supervisors to moderate workloads or at least compensate them fairly. In other words, their duties may not align with what they believe they signed up for.
Other factors beyond an excessive workload and a competitive atmosphere may exacerbate the discontent. When supervisors repeatedly overstep, the boundaries keep blurring. Workers feel taken advantage of and squeezed.
Managers must remember that not everybody is seeking a promotion or career advancement. The challenge is the difficulty of negotiating in advance when new employees will be expected to go above and beyond the strict letter of their contracts. Keep in mind that work does not occupy the same priority as family, and lower-level employees may not have the same commitment as executives or owners. Make it a point to ensure all workers are adequately compensated. Piling on responsibilities tells a worker that management is more concerned with their output than their well-being.
How to reengage
Managers must start by distinguishing between the disgruntled and the truly burned out. On an individual level, try to discover what interests or motivates them.
- Avoid workload increases where feasible and provide some days off to rest and reinvigorate. If a heavier workload becomes indefinite, consider altering the job arrangement.
- Compensate, through raises, perks, benefits or flexibility such as remote or part-time work.
- Recognize and reward performance, with random paid personal days, when possible.
- Monitor mood and behavioral changes.
- Create a supportive environment, with opportunities for skill development and more autonomy.
Keep the lines of communication open. Engagement normally fluctuates, so don’t risk confrontations by pushing too hard. Watchful waiting may be appropriate for understanding their pain points. Your team deserves reasonable work conditions, and quiet quitting might be a final cry for help before they storm off for good.