Motivating “Quiet Quitters”

“Quiet quitting” has been all over my newsfeed lately. Sometimes brushed off as a Gen Z phenomenon, “quiet quitting” puts a catchy new name on an age-old challenge: disengaged employees who are uninterested in doing more than the bare minimum at work. If you are a long-tenure career person like me, you have probably had to deal with this issue, previously described as “checked out,” “resting and vesting,” or even “ROJ—retired on the job”

As leaders we should not dismiss “quiet quitting” as a Gen Z, lack-of-work-ethic issue. At Fable, we have several Gen Z team members and I can personally attest that they are creative, caring, resourceful, and hard working. There are other problems at play.

In many ways, it’s not surprising that employee disengagement is on the rise. Quiet quitting could be seen as a natural reaction to burnout, which has been a concern for years. You could also argue that quiet quitting is a backlash against the non-stop hustle culture, which has been so prevalent in recent years, and is especially pervasive in tech. And then, of course, there are the lingering effects of the pandemic, along with rising stress over inflation and economic instability.

Given all of these factors, some aspects of quiet quitting have merit. Work/life integration and setting clear boundaries are essential when it comes to preventing burnout, especially for those who work in a hybrid or remote environment. However, perpetual disinterest in advancement, learning, or growth in a career does a disservice to both employees and companies.?

As a leader, it’s important to stay in touch with your teams and to notice when they seem to be pulling away or reducing their output. Before jumping to any conclusions, take a moment to check in with them—it’s possible there are issues in their personal lives that are requiring them to temporarily step back. Give them feedback and see if you can help them get back to contributing to their fullest capability.

But if you do believe you have some quiet quitters on your hands, there are some steps you can take:

• Listen. Take a moment to think about some of the feedback you’ve gotten recently. Have you brushed off any concerns that may warrant a closer look? From company culture to team structures, it’s worth examining the workplace for areas that may be dragging down employees. And if you haven’t heard any feedback recently, make sure you’re offering plenty of opportunities—both formal and informal— for employees to share their concerns with you. Doing AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions or Open Mic at Town Halls are great tools for this that I have used effectively.
• Communicate. Employees at purpose-driven companies retain longer and express more satisfaction with their jobs. Have you communicated the company’s purpose, vision and mission effectively? Does the company feel aligned around these values and the long-term vision? Make sure to tie every win, strategy, and project back to the vision and purpose that drives the company.
• Explore. If quiet quitting seems to be isolated to just a couple employees, take a moment to consider them as individuals. Are they not fitting in with their team, or struggling to communicate with their manager? Are they bored in their role and need a new challenge? Consider when you’ve seen that employee shine, and see if you can reorient their role towards those teams and tasks. Be compassionate when you give them feedback and motivate them to get back into the work rhythm.
• Empathize. Remember that the last few years have been hard on all of us. Try to understand where the employee is coming from and if there are external factors in play. Once you’ve determined the cause, gently remind the employee that learning, growing, and developing in their career can only benefit them in the long run. An offer to support them in a career coaching course or other development opportunity can be a great incentive to get them excited about work again.?

Have you ever experienced disengaged employees, or quiet quitters? How did you address the problem?