What is Quiet Quitting, and How Can Companies Prevent It?

The term ‘quiet quitting’ has been around for a while, but its popularity has surged in recent months, thanks in large part to viral TikTok clips. So what is it, exactly, and how can companies prevent it in their own workplaces?

Quiet quitting occurs when a previously enthusiastic employee stops going above and beyond at their job. Instead of working long hours and delivering top-quality work, quiet quitters adopt a “bare minimum” mentality. They’ll clock in as normal and do their usual assigned tasks, but that’s about it. Excellence becomes a distant concept. Their career moves down their priorities list. They’re in the job only for the finance element.

The result? A happier individual but a business that suffers. So how can people in recruitment stop this from happening in the workplace?

 

Identify the Problem

You can’t solve a problem if you don’t know it exists. Look for signs of quiet quitting in employees, which can include:

• Decreased productivity
• A lack of engagement
• Argumentative behavior.

 

Focus on Work/Life Balance

The labor market is friendly to employees at the moment, and they’re increasingly looking for more than a paycheck. They want more work/life balance. Don’t compel employees to answer calls/emails when they’re out of work, offer flexible working conditions, and reward good work with a day off.

 

Well-Trained Leaders

Quiet quitting isn’t a sign of a poor employee. It’s a sign of poor leadership. Train and empower your company’s leaders to manage their teams. It’s always possible to bring a drifting employee back into the fold, but only if management works on it.