For the past few years, the COVID19 health crisis has brought different strains of trends and lapses in the workplace – as the world experienced a declining economy, employees sought other opportunities and pursued other roles during the course of the Great Resignation.

But there’s a new trend that’s been rising in recent memory where employees are not necessarily quitting their jobs but are becoming disengaged, a trend which many people regard as quiet quitting. Employees on the verge of quitting normally apply this work-to-rule principle in order to avoid further burnout from their tasks.

While many employees are leaving their jobs and others are on the verge of doing so, studies reveal how companies’ treatment and management of their people affect the way employees feel about their work.

Why organisations should care about this trend

Quiet quitting can manifest in many different forms, from reduced productivity, absenteeism in meetings and team huddles, failure to contribute to team projects, to arriving late and leaving early during office hours.

A study conducted by ResumeBuilder revealed that about 1 in every 5 employees report that they’re adapting a “quiet quitting” mindset due to a variety of reasons, meanwhile about one-third of those who reduced their working efforts have walked back their working hours by more than half.

The reasons affecting why many employees would turn to quiet quitting can vary, some of them may feel undervalued by their organisations, some may feel that their work-life balance is compromised by their role in the company, and others may feel the need to reconsider their priorities.

Employers and managers may need to figure out a way to prevent their employees from experiencing more burnouts from work, thus avoiding the bullet that disconnects workers and makes them “quiet quit”from their roles.

How managers can prevent employees from quiet quitting

Minimise increases in workload and keep them short-term. Employees who are quiet quitters are often burned out and stressed out because of work overload. They may feel like their tasks are never ending or that their efforts aren’t enough. Keeping their workload increase to a minimum can help their working motors rest and relax. 

Give proper compensation to your team. Many struggling employees on the verge of quiet quitting may feel dissatisfied with work because of low pay and lack of incentives to work the extra mile. Whenever your employees do a great job at work, give them motivation with proper compensation and the prospect of promotion. Providing incentives like bonuses can also be a great way to entice your employees to step up and stay engaged with their work.

Build a good rapport with your employees. Keeping your employees close and building a good relationship with the team can definitely help you manage quiet quitting. Building good and open communication is a great first step to help establish that good rapport with your people. Managers that do this can keep their workforce stay engaged and focused with their roles.

Provide a support system and listen to your employees. Employees who feel like they’re not valued by their company may develop into quiet quitters due to the lack of support and concern. Managers can provide a support system that can guide and help their employees whenever they need it. Listening to your employees and asking them what they need at the moment can help them feel fulfilled and cared for.