Over 750,000 people worldwide are working 54 hours a week. These taxing working hours are the leading cause of burnout, stress, lethargy, insomnia, and other mental health issues among employees.
The hustle culture, a dominant trend a little while ago, is now taking a back seat. More people are becoming aware of the slow pay rise despite dedicating valuable time to a company.
Over the last few months, people have referred to starting the new trend of quiet quitting at their workplace. They believe it is an effective way to work in a company that does not offer growth, recognition, or incentive.
This article will help you understand what quiet quitting is and answer pressing questions such as how it will impact the recruitment process and what recruiters can do to mitigate the challenges it brings.
What is quiet quitting?
While this trend might seem new, the concept has existed for a long time. Quiet quitting is a phenomenon when workers only complete their contractually obligated tasks. They resist putting in any extra hours unless compensated for it and say no to any requests outside their formal scope of work.
Quiet quitters believe their actions have legitimate reasoning behind them. Some find that quiet quitting helps maintain a work-life balance by not working outside stipulated work hours. The idea is that workers should put in just enough work not to get fired while not going above and beyond to please their superiors.
On the other hand, employers believe it is a lazy and inefficient method in which employees are stepping away from their responsibilities and earning a paycheck by doing just the bare minimum. In addition, employers believe it shows an employee is not loyal to the company since they are not invested in the business’ growth or success,
While employers find it easy to blame the workers, another side to the story exists. Data suggests that quiet quitting could be due to bad bosses, not bad employees. Ineffective managers are three to four times more likely to have their workers quiet quit, as compared to strong and efficient leaders. Managers who balanced results with relationships saw 62% of their reporting staff willing to put in extra effort, with only 3% quietly quitting.
What is the impact of quiet quitting?
It’s safe to say that businesses are worried about quiet quitting. In addition to the economic slowdown, employees' productivity levels are dropping consistently; US nonfarm workers have recorded the steepest fall in productivity levels by 2.5% since 1948.
Employee productivity is crucial to a company’s success. Many companies have started regulating the workers’ keyboard activity to monitor employee productivity. Tech companies have also slowed down the hiring process and aim at laying off staff who don’t actively contribute to the company’s growth.
If an employee feels burnt out, the best approach is to recommend taking some time off. Studies have found that remote work causes burnout and fatigue. Companies are aware of the mental health problems the past two years have brought and are changing their policies by providing mental health days and counseling sessions to better care for their employees.
Is it possible for talent acquisition to exclude potential quiet quitters?
Disengaged employees result in a loss of $7.8 trillion, which accounts for 11% of the global GDP.
When employees become quiet quitters, the company's and the worker's growth is affected. Since quiet quitters complete only the delegated tasks, their lack of extra effort at work reduces their chances of promotions and bonuses.
However, quiet quitters must understand that their career is supposed to be a fulfilling part of their life as it gives meaning and hope for the future. We spend a third of our lives at work, even if it is just the contracted hours. It is essential to make it one of the most satisfying parts.
Recruiters should identify potential quiet quitters in the company. Then, speak to the managers and understand the tasks completed by the employees. Ask the manager if the job was completed on time and how the employees performed. Did anyone go the extra mile? Were any of the projects below average?
HR should also send regular self-evaluation forms to the employees to understand their mindset and career goals. These forms can have questions about the employee’s personal and professional life. For instance, you can ask:
Do you think you have a work-life balance?
Have you experienced burnout?
Do you prioritize work over your personal life?
Do you get work calls on weekends?
Do you answer work calls on weekends?
If the manager has organized a gathering after hours, have you attended it?
Do you feel appreciated when a task is performed well?
If a project assigned to you is ambiguous, do you seek clarity?
What do you do if you get an urgent phone call from a client post work hours?
What do you do if you get a not-so-urgent phone call from a colleague after work hours?
Such questions will help you understand the attitude of the employees when it comes to work and whether they are only doing the bare minimum or engaging with their tasks.
A similar questionnaire can also be part of the hiring process to comprehend whether the new employees are potential quiet quitters.
Another way of identifying quiet quitters is noticing whether workers have lost enthusiasm in meetings, if participation in projects is negligible, or if they voluntarily avoid tasks despite having free time. In addition to low productivity levels, quiet quitters are also late to work, take prolonged breaks, refuse to work extra hours, and never respond to calls beyond work hours.
How can companies help quiet quitters?
Only 21% of global employees are engaged at work, while 33% of employees feel they are thriving in their overall well-being. So how can companies change this? Here are some ways to improve employee satisfaction and engagement:
As an organization, you need to consider your employee as whole individuals, not just as workers.
Managers must add a well-being measurement to their dashboard.
The company as a brand should prioritize the employee’s well-being and make it a promise.
Define your expectations for the job role clearly. Many quiet quitters find it hard to be engaged in their jobs because there is ambiguity and a lack of clear guidelines.
Review policies and procedures with the employees regularly and consider their suggestions.
Before assigning tasks, discuss whether the employee is equipped to complete the task.
Schedule regular meetings with your employees and check up on them. In your sessions, understand the employee's future career goals and how they can align with the company’s success.
If you cannot arrange meetings, send in a survey or a self-evaluation form to touch base with your employees.
When a job is well done, appreciate your employees. This will enhance their productivity levels as they feel valued.
Openly communicate with your employees and find out how you can help them achieve a better work-life balance.
Create a culture of diversity and inclusion to promote respect and equality in the workplace.
Find out how you can adjust the workload, so the employees don’t feel too overwhelmed. It could include outsourcing technical help or hiring an intern to take care of smaller tasks.
As the head of the company, you should consider improving policies for time-off, incentives, or comp-offs.
Vari, the CEO of Lensa, coined the term “loudly persisting.” He says his company doesn’t have any quiet quitters because of the flexibility and favorable policies the company has introduced.
Remote workers at Lensa have the flexibility to complete their tasks, whereas on-site workers have several perks. Vari says his company values employees more when they put in extra time and effort for the company.
If there is an incentive, employees feel they are valued and appreciated. Further, he encourages open communication and makes employees feel comfortable enough to share their concerns. It is a crucial method to prevent employees from becoming quiet quitters.
Will the quiet quitting trend continue forever?
Quiet quitters can hamper the company's growth and deter it from meeting its goals. Further, it is also not a valid long-term option for employees. While it's likely that every workplace will always have some disengaged workers, it’s unlikely that the trend of quiet quitting will continue to hold the same relevance forever.
Career coaches believe quiet quitters take this path because they have not found the right team or manager. Moving onto a profession you like or choosing a company culture that fits your ideology should be prioritized. If you don’t connect with your work or manager, make a bold choice to resign and find a job you will excel at.
Hire the right talent with FloCareer
One of the best ways to know whether a potential employee is engaged and involved in their career is by making recruitment more efficient. Flocareer has several robust products and solutions to help you with the process.
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