Quiet Quitting and Why it is Bad for Building Stronger Teams

It was a balmy late August day when a friend of mine and I met for coffee, and she told me about a phone call she had just been on where her two fellow HR colleagues were discussing a recent TikTok workplace trend that has been dubbed "quiet quitting." She told me about how pointless the discussion was, IHHO (i.e., in her humble opinion), because the trend didn't seem all that phenomenal – from her perspective, America’s workers have been sliding by in their careers for decades without much harm. As we parted, I was noodling on our conversation and wondered what "quiet quitting" meant, has the post-COVID-19 lockdown caused 'quiet quitting,' and what, if any, impact does it have on building stronger teams?

After perusing the internet for an acceptable definition of "quiet quitting," it seems universally acceptable to?define?it as not working to the point of burnout. But quiet quitting isn't a novel idea. In my last 2022 thought leadership piece, I discussed the increase in mental health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there seems to be close ties to it and quiet quitting.?

As it has been widely reported, including by the World Health Organization (WHO) in their?2022 report, "global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25%" during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since a vast majority of people are experiencing increased levels of stress, there is no wonder why people are quietly quitting or "doing just enough”. The curious thing is not that 'quiet quitting' is trending now or that COVID-19 lockdown has exacerbated people's stress levels; the troubling and perhaps unavoidable through line seems to be that working triggers stress in people – something human beings have been doing since the dawn of time and need to continue doing to provide income.

Working is more ancient than dinosaur fossils, yet modern-day solutions to stress are mainly pills, therapy, or natural substances. For some time now, organizations have been burning midnight oil to help release the stress and satisfy their employees based on the latest trends but are on the back foot (e.g., most companies are behind on releasing their cannabis policy), which leads me back to my conversation with my friend. As a tenured HR executive, she felt that 'quiet quitting' was nonsense because people have been playing that game of 'just do enough' and 'earn a paycheck' since before she started working – note: this person is not a Gen Z or Millennial and considers herself to be a dinosaur in her industry, albeit a lively and valuable one. My friend comes from a generation that believes that companies aren't there for you, in fact, quite the opposite. Furthermore, she thinks today's organizations are going overboard at unrelenting or reliable speed to comfort today's workforce (e.g., slides, mini-fridges, four-day work weeks, and ping pong tables). This generation of workers – Baby Boomers and older - went the extra mile and still lost their pensions, which strengthened their desire to work hard. She quoted me the saying about ‘that was how things were done by their mothers and grandmothers before them’ - there's a certain nostalgia to her line of thinking and significant elements to glean but it's not the perspective of current generations. Sadly, I don't think future generations will look back, either.?

Today's organizations and leaders focus on creating positive work environments and experiences that appeal to younger generations with trendy benefits that don’t last. Yet, they have forgotten their current employees, and many are hoping that the new trends either keep tenured people in their seats or some use it to create space for lower earning new employees. And today's?job numbers?are the best they've ever been; therefore, staying late and going the extra mile - to the point of burnout - is not valued by new employees, which may be a shared feeling between the new and the old generations. While having the individual mentality of doing the job description may reduce stress levels, 'just doing you’ may not help the company excel or stay competitive, and it doesn't exemplify or secure a solid and unified team mindset.?

'Quiet quitting' is terrible for #BuildingStrongerTeams because as much as it is about preventing burnout, which is a good thing individually, it may be equally about low engagement. Engagement is critical to any team’s culture, and in Gallup's State of the Global Workplace:?2022 report, over half of the workers surveyed (54%) reported: "not engaged’. Low engagement because of ‘quiet quitting’ is as alarming for leaders as the mental health numbers during the COVID lockdown. If teams and organizations want to remain successful, individual engagement is key. As we know, employees say that "the people" are the reason they stay at and love their company, so if leaders can proactively identify quiet quitting and prevent it from seeping into their team culture, then there's hope for successful teams. Here are some ideas for leaders to help with quiet quitting:

Identify:

• Identify 'quiet quitting' through low engagement?- Noticing low engagement is crucial (or a change in engagement), but it may be difficult to spot, especially if you do not know your team well. Here are some sub-thoughts on identifying someone who is not engaged (note: these signs are similar to depression or other mental health issues that may need your support, or the support provided by your organization):
• A drop in their work output?– they may operate at a slower pace, visibly change their demeanor, or tone of voice, or consistently push back on work they usually do.
• A drop in their attention to detail?– if you hire an overachiever, perfectionist, or ‘Type A’ person, and then notice that they are blending in with the other team members you did not hire for these high-performing qualities, they may be quiet quitting. Particularly following a less than rosy discussion or performance conversation, if your team member shows signs of rage or sliding down in their work performance, they may be quiet quitting on you.?
• Watch their best bud(s) at work?– just like my parents, everyone has their favorite, and at work it is no different. If you notice that the dynamic duo, trio, foursome, etc., start to behave differently, then the source may be an individual influencing a collective quiet quitting (i.e., look for your leaders and followers, and track the breadcrumbs to the source).??
• Recognize their communication -?at school, we call them "slackers," and at work, we call them "checked out." If your team member(s) is verbally or non-verbally "checked out," chances are they are quiet quitting (e.g., speaking in circles or telling you what you like to hear rather than getting to the point, or reduced or laid-back body language, dress, or general hygiene). Make sure to have a conversation with them early on and don’t let them slide deeper into a quiet quitting mindset that it grows and spreads.?

Manage:?

• Embrace 'quiet quitting' but don't call it that –?branding the word "quitting" as widespread (or a positive) when it is harmful and does not reflect why people feel this way is your first hurdle. Trends are catchy for a reason, and as my friend said, they are just doing their jobs and not overachieving; it is not revolutionary, unique, or "quitting."?
• Don't let them slide –?the worst thing you can do is know that your team member is in peril or at risk of sliding into a quiet quitting mindset and allow them to slide further down the quiet quitting path. It will hurt you, them, and your team dynamics. Once you have identified their tactic of quiet quitting, respond proactively and supportively through a well-constructed, nurturing conversation(s) that supports their mental wellbeing and reasons for engagement (note: approaching conversations with empathy and patience where you see their side (aka. Put yourself in their shoes) is the next step to healing and revival).?
• Rinse repeat –?once you have started the conversation behind their reason(s) for quiet quitting, work together to resolve their pain points. Historically people overachieved to gain more income (i.e., a higher bonus, job title, or other similar recognition). However, quiet quitting is not that crystal clear; it's more about the whole human emotionally and mentally than just working to get by. Treat your conversations as you would with a friend, loved one, or trusted peer, complete with understanding, no shame, and a plan for getting from quiet quitting to excited and engaged.

Based on my coffee conversation, there is no fast remedy for quiet quitting other than to up the individual ante (i.e., support a personal change) or change your work culture. One is much easier than the other and getting you back to square one may result in one of two things: 1) your team member will either quit working for you (aka. burnout) and move on to?something new, or 2) respond with improvement in their work performance with greater collaboration and transparency. And, she said, much like training a new dog, as a [new] leader, you still immediately praise them when they have done a job well done and are headed in the right and favorable direction (i.e., treats welcome).

The term 'quiet quitting' is new, but I agree with my friend that the way of working, and thinking is not. While I do think new-fangled trends have supported innovation in the workplace like informal chat platforms for quick communication – thinking back to the old days depicted in the film 9 to 5 with typewriters and words per minute going on my resume and being a talking point in job interviews – today the challenge is how leaders and organizations respond to individuals who are changing because of social trends. For leaders, it is up to you to identify and manage people through the post-COVID-19 challenges, which includes supporting their stages of return to work from extended periods of lockdown. For organizations, it is up to you not to fall victim to social media influencers and stay true to your company's mission and vision. Both areas of focus can be accomplished with empathy, patience, and discipline, or as my friend called it, good old-fashioned hard work.?

I would be remised if I didn't mention the lessons shared on the?Dare to Lead podcast. The two-part research conversation by Brené Brown with Erika James and Lynn Perry Wooten (I recommend listening to both parts 1 & 2) resonated with me on this topic. In a crisis, James & Wooten emphasize the importance of leaders first helping themselves before helping others. Hearing this not only reminded me of the airlines' 'please put your mask on first before helping others' PSA, but it also rang true from a quiet quitting perspective. While this article focuses on how leaders can identify and manage quiet quitting to support #BuildingStrongerTeams, if you are a leader experiencing symptoms of the newly coined 'quiet quitting,' the best recommendation I can share is to seek help before attempting to fix things on your team. Remember, you set the example for others to follow, and if you are in an internal crisis and trying to be brave - which is admirable – you run the risk of taking others down with you. Quiet quitting is heavily individualistic, and there is not a one-size fits all remedy to it, so don't count yourself out or be ashamed; ask for help before helping others.?

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Sarah Dyer is a communications professional and thought leader who champions #BuildingStrongerTeams through Strategic Communication. She promotes her stories in organizations and on LinkedIn. She believes that each person and each team can drive lasting and value-adding change through strategic communication. She believes that when communication stops, everything stops. The views and observations expressed in this piece are her own and are not affiliated with any organization. #ViewsMyOwn

REFERENCES

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