Before Quiet Quitting there was Solitaire

You have to give it to the “kids these days” who have come up with cute terms that go viral on social media, such as ‘quiet quitting’ or ‘laying flat’ (the latter a popular term in China). As a result, a lot of focus has been placed on younger generations exhibiting this kind of behavior. But phoning it in at work is nothing new. Homer Simpson advised quiet quitting back in 1995.: “If you don’t like your job, you don’t strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That’s the American way.” This was around the time when computers were becoming universal across corporate desks, and playing Solitaire on those computers was becoming an equally universal corporate past-time.??

According to Gallup, engagement levels have been low for decades, and their 2022 data found that more than 67% of US employees are unengaged at work. That is a problem, but it’s not unique to those younger generations who are coining phrases for it on TikTok.

Generational Differences?

In behavioral science, comparing attitudes of different generations is tricky. To accurately gauge generational differences, we must compare individuals at the same stage of life, such as a 20-year-old Gen Z employee with a 20-year-old baby boomer. Looked at this way, it turns out that those in later life stages are the ones who tend to prioritize meaning and impact over income, reflecting on their career and life aspirations while younger workers focus on building financial stability.

Evolving work attitudes also transcend generational boundaries, and attitudes and behaviors are complicated. Workers of all ages prioritize a multitude of job aspects, from income to societal impact to a desire to align with their company's values. And the very nature of careers is changing. In the past, it was necessary to climb the corporate ladder within the same company, but today’s employees move across the career lattice and can easily change employers. With more opportunities available, people across generations are becoming pickier simply because they can. Employers need to adapt.

Segment By Behavior, not By Age

Instead of focusing on (or complaining about) younger generations, leaders have to realize that work changes for everybody. And they need to start segmenting their employees not by age but by behaviors and attitudes. The same tools that we use for segmenting customers (focus groups, conjoint analysis, customer journeys, etc) can be used to segment employees. My colleagues and I used this approach in our research about gender differences in meaningful work. And when Bain & Company helped an Asian bank adjust its incentive plan by tailoring the plan to employee segments based on attitudes instead of demographics, they estimatedthat performance increased by 70 percent and unit costs dropped by 30 percent.?

Leaders don’t have to rely on flawed generational stereotypes to guess what motivates their employees. By focusing on the right metrics, they can capture real differences in what team members care about and create a work environment and leadership style that enhances the engagement of their workforce - at every age.

Pre-order my book

Sign up to the newsletter

Watch LEGO movies

Columbia Business School Digital Future Initiative at Columbia Business School Columbia Business School Executive Education