Quiet Quitting - What can Businesses do to prevent this?

Quiet Quitting - What can Business do to prevent this?

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Have you ever thought about quitting your job in a dramatic fashion, storming out of the office and never looking back? While this may seem satisfying in the moment, no one really goes through with such a drastic solution. However, there is a more quiet and  subtle way in which some employees do this :quiet quitting. 

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As per Gallup, Quiet quitters make up at least 50% of the U.S. workforce. 

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What is Quiet Quitting? Is it a Real Trend?

Quiet quitting is a method of resigning from a job without causing a scene or burning bridges. It involves carefully planning your exit strategy, communicating your intentions to your employer in a professional and respectful manner, and leaving your job with your reputation intact. After quiet quitting, the employee does the bare minimum work and puts in effort, time or enthusiasm only when absolutely necessary. They disengage from their work and only perform job activities in order to stay in the job and get a regular paycheck.

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Having such employees in an organization drastically reduces productivity and also forms a negative sentiment among other team members. This can in-turn reflect poorly on the employer brand equity of the organization. 

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Why do employees do it?

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The reason for quiet quitting depends on the employee. Some do it because they stop enjoying their work while some do because they no longer feel valued in the company. Feeling valued is not restricted to pay but also how their inputs are taken by their seniors, lack of transparency in promotions, and lack of proper communication within the team. In some cases, employees are not in the right headspace to put in work due to personal reasons. 

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How to tell if someone may have quiet quit?

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As an HR professional, one of the most important tasks is to ensure that your employees are happy, engaged, and productive. This means keeping an eye out for signs of burnout, dissatisfaction, and disengagement. However, sometimes employees may choose to quit in a more subtle and quiet way, which can be difficult to detect. While it may not be obvious at first, there are several signs that an HR professional can look at to determine if an employee has quit. 

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Here are some common signs 

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1. Drop in quality of work: This can be a sign of quiet quitting because the employee who is disengaged may no longer be putting in the same level of effort as before. Quiet quitters may be mentally checked out and not paying as much attention to detail, resulting in mistakes, missed deadlines, or subpar work.

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2. Frequent absences: If an employee is taking more sick days or personal days than usual, it could be a sign that they have quiet quit. While some absences are to be expected, if an employee is consistently absent or has a pattern of taking time off on certain days, it could be a sign that they are no longer invested in their job.

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3. Missing deadlines: If an employee who was previously reliable and responsible suddenly starts missing deadlines, it could indicate that they have disengaged from their job and are no longer invested in meeting expectations or delivering quality work. Quit quitters are typically disengaged may not feel the same level of accountability to meet deadlines as they once did.

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4. Passive Attendance in Meetings: Employees who are disengaged may attend meetings but not actively participate or contribute ideas. They may not offer their thoughts or insights on important topics, or they may simply sit back and let others do the talking. This can be a sign that they have lost interest in their job and are no longer invested in the company's goals.

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5. Disengagement from company wide activities:  If an employee is no longer participating in social activities or team-building events, it may be a sign that they are no longer invested in their job or their colleagues. While not everyone enjoys socializing outside of work, a sudden withdrawal from these activities could be a red flag.

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6. Team members mentioning a sudden rise in workload: When an employee has quiet quit, the remaining team members may have to take on additional responsibilities to compensate. A sudden rise in this can indicate that an employee for the team may have quiet quit.

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What can businesses do? 

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Businesses need to step up to ensure that quiet quitting does not become a pandemic in their business. 

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Here are a few things that can be done:

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1. Encouraging open communication: Encourage employees to share their concerns and ideas, and create a culture of transparency and trust.

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2. Providing opportunities for growth and development: Ensure that employees have opportunities to learn new skills and take on new challenges.

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3. Recognizing and rewarding good work: Show appreciation for the contributions of employees, and recognize and reward good work.

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4. Providing fair and competitive compensation: Make sure that employees are compensated fairly for their work and that the company's compensation package is competitive with others in the industry.

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5. Improving work-life balance: Create a positive work-life balance by offering flexible schedules and promoting mental and physical well-being of employees. As per Resume Builder, 83% of quiet quitters have disengaged from work as they felt burned out.

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6. Addressing work-related problems: Address any work-related problems or issues that employees may have in a timely and effective manner.

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7. Regularly checking in with employees: Schedule regular check-ins with employees to gauge their satisfaction and engagement, and take action if needed.

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It's important to take these issues head on and deal with them. By addressing the issue of quiet quitting and taking measure to prevent it both employees and employers can benefit from increased job satisfaction, productivity, and overall success.