Quiet Quitting: How to Curb This New Trend with Employees
Quiet quitting is a relatively new trend within the workforce. It essentially refers to employees doing the bare minimum based on their job description. Essentially, they aim to meet expectations by handling those outlined responsibilities but aren’t going above and beyond in any capacity.
In many ways, quiet quitting was launched by the Great Resignation, a period where employees expressed their dissatisfaction with their employers by leaving positions in droves. In many ways, it’s also a counterpoint to the “hustle culture” that was once highly present. Hustle culture encouraged employees to go the extra mile, often with the notion that doing so led to raises and promotions. However, many professionals didn’t experience the gains hustle culture promised, leaving them disenchanted.
While it’s easy to demonize quiet quitting, it’s essential to realize that some of these actions are based on dissatisfaction with the job. Fortunately, this kind of behavior is also correctable. If you want to curb quiet quitting in your workplace, here are some tips.
How to Derail Quiet Quitting with Your Employees
Talk to Your Workforce
Since quiet quitting is typically a reactive decision, taking time to talk with your workforce is essential. By speaking with team members one-on-one about their current motivation or engagement, it’s possible to identify potential problem areas that are spurring this trend within your organization. Then, you can take corrective steps to improve the environment.
Essentially, these discussions ensure that company leaders aren’t making decisions based on inaccurate assumptions. As a result, any corrective measures after these discussions are typically more effective.
Adjust Your Expectations
In some cases, quiet quitting isn’t a form of rebellion; it’s an attempt to recenter and achieve better balance. The issue is that many company leaders became accustomed to the hustle culture mentality, giving them a specific perspective on quiet quitting.
However, these unspoken expectations about going above and beyond may not be appropriate. As a result, it’s critical to reflect on how employee behavior has changed and if it genuinely falls outside of what’s reasonable for the role.
Additionally, it’s wise to have conversations with employees regarding informal expectations. That creates a chance to formalize responsibilities that didn’t make it into an initial job description, reducing ambiguity and getting everyone on the same page.
Offer Competitive Compensation (and Reward the Hustle)
At its core, quiet quitting is based on doing what’s expected and nothing more. Employees feel they were hired for a specific purpose, and if a task falls outside of it, compensation adjustments are justified if they take on the new responsibilities.
However, some of this can be offset using a two-fold approach. Offering competitive compensation outright, employees are more willing to go above and beyond. Additionally, recognizing those who regularly exceed expectations through raises or promotions demonstrates to other workers that the increased effort is worthwhile. Essentially, by rewarding the hustle, you create a culture where it’s more commonly embraced.
Looking for Further Assistance Managing Your Workforce?
Ultimately, the tips above can get you moving in the right direction, allowing you to effectively combat quiet quitting and cultivate a more productive, engaged workforce. By partnering with SimpleVMS, you can secure technologies that track employee performance and coaching, allowing you to identify trends before they become an issue. Plus, you can access communication tools that make solving these problems more manageable.
If you are ready to see the difference the right VMS can make, SimpleVMS wants to hear from you. Schedule a no-obligation demo with SimpleVMS today!
