I have a confession to make. Until deciding to research this article, I actually thought ‘quiet quitting’ was defined differently from what it is. I knew the concept of the definition, but I was confusing it with other issues regarding employee retention – and I am sure I am not alone.
So you can benefit from my honesty in both admitting my lack of knowledge around the term, and also from sharing some of my employment issues which I know many, if not most, other business owners and leaders out there are suffering from too.
And the best news is that what I will show and teach you here will reduce any ‘quiet quitting’ issues, improve your employee retention, and ultimately make your workforce more productive. Or at least I hope it will as I am banking on it doing that for mine!
I just want to add a little background and context here. Over the past 3 months, I have made a major commitment to taking human resources and people management very seriously.
I am embarrassed to say that over all my years in business, my organisations have never been very good at looking after and managing people. Great staff would get all my attention and the not-so-good ones would get ignored until they eventually quit, or something snapped and they were fired.
Quiet quitting statistics
There was no ensuring that we recruited people who were the right fit for our organisations and fellow staff, no onboarding procedures, no ongoing monitoring and management, and ultimately when they left, there would be no exit procedures and understanding of what went wrong.
Sounds horrendous right? Totally. But the reality is I am not alone here. Whether or not you want to admit it’s an issue in your business, just read some of these frightening statistics:
- 47% of HR managers see retention as their biggest problem
- 88% of companies struggle with onboarding
- 57% of employees are looking for a new job within 1 year of taking a new role
- 63% of people leave jobs for preventable reasons
- Only 20% of workers are actively engaged at work
- 13% of employees are disengaged at work
And these issues are costing businesses a fortune! Whether it is the cost of having to keep recruiting for a position too often as people are leaving, or whether it is lost productivity in the workforce, not getting these people issues right is costing businesses anywhere from thousands, to millions, depending on how big the companies are.
So, 3 months ago recruited a Human Resources Director – or because I’m modern and cool, a Chief People Officer! Between this department’s wages and other associated costs, it will easily be an investment of over £100,000 in year 1, and this will only grow over time. But please note, I used the word INVESTMENT not cost, because if done correctly that is exactly what this is. An investment in my people that will ultimately pay massive dividends with lower turnover, higher engagement, and increased productivity – which all lead to higher sales and greater profits.
Companies prioritizing positive workplace culture get up to a 19% increase in sales, a 29% higher profit, and a 72% decrease in attrition rate.
What is quiet quitting?
So now you know about my problems (which hopefully has made you feel that you aren’t alone), let’s bring this back around to the original question – what is ‘quiet quitting’?
Quiet quitting refers to doing the absolute minimum requirements of one’s job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than necessary.
Some would say that the term is mistitled as the worker doesn’t quit the organisation as they do continue to collect a salary. But the spirit of the term is clear – the employee is there simply for the pay and has no engagement with, or attachment to, the role of the business
A September 2022 Harvard Business Review article by professors Anthony C. Klotz and Mark C. Bolino noted, “Quiet quitters continue to fulfil their primary responsibilities, but they’re less willing to engage in activities known as citizenship behaviours: no more staying late, showing up early, or attending non-mandatory meetings.”
And the term is not exclusive to use in the workplace either. We have all undoubtedly heard of, or experienced, instances of quiet quitting in relationships and marriages. And what’s more, merely understanding what “quiet quitting” means can lead to huge business opportunities in the way of increased output, and more focused and motivated workers.
Quiet quitting – it started with a TikTok video
Allegedly the first known use of “quiet quitting” was in a March 2022 TikTok and Youtube video posted by a corporate recruiter, Bryan Creely. I don’t know whether that is true, but whilst it may be the first official use of the term, the concept has plagued the workplace for many years prior.
A June 2002 study by Gallup discovered that quiet quitters make up at least 50% of the US workforce, with the percentage being even higher in workers under 35. And my own experiences, coupled with conversations with my peers, would lead me to believe those statistics translate to the UK too.
So, what can be done about quiet quitting?
This article hasn’t made for great reading so far, has it? Although for most business owners it probably hasn’t come as a major surprise. But the good news is there is something that can be done about it, and the power is in your hands.
While it is easy to blame the workforce, the pandemic, and whole generations, I always find the best way to solve any problem is to lay all the blame on myself and then work backwards from there.
My workforce may be disengaged and underperforming, but ultimately I hired them, I trained and motivate them (or didn’t!), and I kept them in their roles. So clearly I haven’t done a very good job with some, if not all, of those parts of the process!
Leadership is everything and that isn’t just for the CEO, but all rungs of the management ladder. Another study also found out that only 1 in 3 managers are engaged at work, senior leadership’s first 1st task must be to reskill managers.
How to manage quiet quitting
Management has to be able to have conversations with their teams to reduce their disengagement and get to the bottom of any issues. This can be as simple as one weekly conversation with each team member in a private setting.
Managers need to create accountability for individual performance team collaboration and customer value — and employees must see how their work contributes to the organization’s larger purpose. Make decisions about where people work — on-site, remote or a hybrid schedule — and should keep these factors in mind.
Importantly, every organization needs a culture in which people are engaged and feel they belong.
My top tips on how to stop quiet quitting
- Assume it’s your workplace culture that’s at fault
- Hire an HR director or people manager and consult with them
- Upskill or reskill managers
- Have weekly conversations with each team member
- Encourage remote or hybrid working
- Make sure employees know the value of their work
- Give feedback and praise wherever you can!
- Don’t micro-manage – let them establish their productive ways of working
Quiet quitting, and human resources in general, are issues that business owners will always have to deal with week in, week out. It is a journey, not a destination and one that I am happy to admit I am probably still a beginner on. And I know I am not alone!
So to document my journey and to help fellow business owners I have launched a new podcast that is solely focused on human resources in SMEs. On The HR Zone, I am joined by Kelly, my chief people officer, every week to discuss and advise on key issues regarding recruitment, retention, culture and much much more.
Learn all you need to know and follow my journey too by checking it out and subscribing today!
