The term ‘Quiet Quitting,’ which initially went viral in 2022 and is now making a comeback. Quiet quitting, in short, refers to people exerting minimal effort just enough to maintain their position in the company. In Chinese, it is called ‘躺平,’ literally meaning ‘lying flat.’ This term was created and used as a response to protest the culture of overworking. Additionally, during the pandemic, people have begun to shift their perspective on work, which has influenced the demand for flexible working hours, hybrid working arrangements, remote work, and other options in today’s job market.
What are the Signs of quiet quitting?
- Not interested in any extra work or heavy responsibility tasks.
- Always on mute during meetings, even in physical meetings.
- Not available outside of working hours. Please try again on the next working day.
- Work efficiency has dropped due to burnout, leading to a diminished sense of belonging with the mindset of ‘just doing the bare minimum is enough, at least I am doing something.’
- Lack of enthusiasm, loss of motivation in their work, and no longer being interested in advancing their careers lead them to do just enough to avoid being fired by their employers.
How HR or Employers Can Tackle Quiet Quitting?
Conduct Exit Interviews
Insightful Feedback: Use exit interviews to understand why employees are leaving and identify patterns or areas needing improvement.
Continuous Improvement: Apply insights from exit interviews to make necessary changes and prevent future occurrences of quiet quitting.
Recognize and Reward Effort
Employee Recognition Programs: Acknowledge and reward employees for their hard work and achievements regularly.
Career Development Opportunities: Provide opportunities for professional growth, such as training programs, workshops, and mentorship. If you are looking for workshops and coaching, reach out to our Talent Development Team.
Improve Job Design and Role Clarity
Clear Expectations: Ensure employees understand their roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations.
Job Enrichment: Add variety and new challenges to roles to keep employees engaged and motivated.
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Enhance Work-Life Balance
Flexible Work Arrangements: Offer options like remote work, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks to accommodate different lifestyles.
Encourage Time Off: Promote the use of vacation days and ensure employees take breaks to avoid burnout.
Foster a Positive Workplace Culture
Inclusive Environment: Create a culture where every employee feels valued, respected, and included.
Team Building Activities: Organise regular team-building events to strengthen team cohesion and morale.
Note to Employers
If you notice that your employees are quiet quitting, it’s a harsh truth but it may indicate an issue in the workplace. For example, if your employees are consistently required to answer messages after work hours, take on tasks beyond their job description despite having packed schedules, and stay late every evening to demonstrate their dedication, your expectations might be unrealistic. Such demands could lead to quiet quitting among your staff in the future.
It’s important for every employee to be able to fully disconnect from work when they go home, and supportive managers play a key role in encouraging this practice. Continuously disregarding your employees’ boundaries by asking them to stay late, calling them after hours, or expecting them to take on additional tasks without extra compensation may result in their disengagement. When you respect boundaries and show appreciation for the work your employees do, they are more likely to go the extra mile when needed, rather than becoming disengaged.
