Why Employers Should Care About Quiet Quitting | Calgary, Alberta

 Home / Newsletter

WENDY ELLEN INC.

September 2022 Newsletter

 

We're Back in the Swing of Things!

Welcome back to another newsletter and another busy fall season. Whether you're balancing bringing the kids back to school or settling into the cooler weather, it's exciting to be a part of the busy buzz the fall always brings to the city.

 

In this newsletter we wanted to cover a term that has increased in popularity; 'quiet quitting'. Quiet quitting doesn't mean an employee has left their job, but has limited their tasks to those strictly within their job description to avoid working longer hours; essentially, a new way of doing the bare minimum. 

 

The pandemic has flipped work culture upside down and has shifted the focus for employees. More people have had the time to think about and question their careers and are now seeking an improved work-life balance. Quiet quitting fits hand-in-hand with this perspective.

 

 

Why Employers Should Care About Quiet Quitting

 

The Employee is Experiencing Burnout. According to Asana's 2022 Anatomy of Work report, 7 out of 10 employees have experienced burnout in the last year. The report also finds that employees suffering from burnout are less engaged, make more mistakes, leave the company and are at a higher risk for low morale. Managers must learn how to have conversations to help employees reduce disengagement and burnout.

 

The Employee May Be Thinking of Leaving. During The Great Resignation, employees started prioritizing their own careers, salaries, and how they are treated at work. Lack of advancement opportunities, low pay, and feeling disrespected were the top reasons employees left their jobs in 2021, according to a Pew Research Center survey. It's important to retain the talent your organization has worked to employ and keep satisfied to date. 

 

Wage Growth Also Plays a Factor. In July 2022, the rate of inflation hit 8-9%. Employees now consider their time based upon the wage that they made 1 year ago or even many years ago. Some employees have coined the saying, "working for their wage" to describe the disengagement from their roles. Employers can look at this as an opportunity to review that best practices are in practice at their organizations.

 

The Labor Market is Tight. "With layoffs and firings at a record low... people have unprecedented job security," says Julia Pollak, chief economist at the job-search website ZipRecruiter. "And so the risk of termination is lower. And that's also why the incentive to work harder is reduced. The consequences of being found to shirk have become much smaller. One, because companies can't afford to fire people. And two, because there are so many alternatives out there if you do lose your job."

 

 

Signs of Quiet Quitting

 

These signs can manifest in a variety of ways depending on the employee's reasons for wanting to pull back from work. For example, dissatisfaction with their role can appear much more present than an employee with a simple goal of a better work-life balance. 

Signs of quiet quitting could include;

  • Missing meetings;
  • Arrive late or leaving early;
  • Reduction in productivity;
  • Minimal contribution to team projects; 
  • No participation in meetings or planning; or 
  • Lack of passion or enthusiasm.

 

What Employers Can Do To Minimize Quiet Quitting 
 

Improve the Employee Experience . Talk to your team, engage with them to gain their feedback and discuss what makes them feel appreciated in the workplace. Ensure that your team feels their workload is realistic and that appropriate work-life boundaries are upheld. Creating these boundaries will assist with clear communication and an honest relationship. 

 

Limit 'Quit Firing'. Similar to quiet quitting, quiet firing is something that has been going on for years but addresses the employer to employee relationship. Quiet firing refers to managers making a job feel miserable or an employee feel bad. Examples of how employers may treat employees during quiet firing include;

  • No raises or limited raises; 
  • No time off; 
  • Increase in workload with no additional pay;
  • Reduced hours; 
  • Micromanaging; 
  • Failure to meet with an employee; and 
  • Lack of respect or pay.

 

Refresh Management Processes and Standards. Gallup's recent survey suggests one of the best ways to combat quiet quitting is to improve communication standards for managers to their direct reports. Encourage managers to set aside 15 to 30 minutes a week to briefly check-in with each direct report to discuss their workload and how they are feeling about their role can assist with open and honest communication. Ensuring leaders are engaged and providing  meaningful guidance can assist in building relationships between employees and their leaders.
 

Remember, although the term quiet quitting has taken the internet by storm, there are ways your business and management can appropriately handle employee disengagement. As always our team at Wendy Ellen Inc. is here to support your team when needed.

 

 

 

Subscribe to Newsletter


Newsletter Archive