Exude Human Capital

Quiet Quitting Examples Employers Must Know

Exude Human Capital

Despite its name, quiet quitting became a loud trend in 2022, following the footsteps of the Great Resignation in 2021.

This trend can be detrimental to a company’s success, possibly leading to high employee turnover, inaccurate benchmarks and low morale. Human resources (HR) departments and leaders must recognize whether quiet quitting is happening in their company before it snowballs and impacts everyone in the workplace.

Learn how to hear quiet quitting loud and clear in your company — and make it a priority to counteract it.

What Is Quiet Quitting in the Workplace?

Quiet quitting occurs when employees subtly start disengaging from their work. Those who previously devoted extra time and energy to their roles now do the bare minimum duties detailed in their job descriptions — without raising red flags of resignation.

Quiet quitting is the secret departure of their motivation, enthusiasm and commitment. It’s a slow process, which explains why it may easily fly under the radar. Everything may seem satisfactory, but there are likely underlying issues that prompted employees to adopt this mentality.

So, what about the modern workplace is driving employees to adopt this behavior?

Causes of Quiet Quitting

Quiet quitting can result from a combination of factors, but one thing is clear — employees are dissatisfied with their professional lives. Here are possible causes of quiet quitting:

5 Signs of Quiet Quitting

Although called quiet quitting, there are telltale signs companies can see in their employees. Here are several to look out for.

1. Dropped Performance

You may notice an abrupt and persistent drop in an employee’s performance, which can impact many areas. For instance, a decline in performance may increase the employee’s workload and stress, but it can also affect other team members. Moreover, it can have a damaging effect on the company’s growth and success.

Dropped performance may manifest as one or multiple of the following:

2. Unusual Work Hours

Are your employees repeatedly checking the clock? Perhaps they’re packing up half an hour before they’re done with their shift, waiting for the minutes to tick by. The clock is a silent companion to quiet quitters.

Additionally, staff who participated in overtime frequently may suddenly stop. Although working within your contracted work hours is normal, it could be a red flag if unusual trends accompany it.

Another method of quiet quitting is absenteeism. You may notice a team member taking time off or calling in sick more often than usual. This behavior can be a sign that they want to spend less time at work due to an underlying issue.

3. Lack of Engagement

Employees who do not show interest in their work, the company or their colleagues may be disengaged. This behavior creates a stronger disconnect between them and the company.

Instead of actively engaging in tasks and events, they selectively allocate their involvement. They engage only in the bare essentials so as not to attract attention. They may show more reluctance to invest beyond their basic work requirements.

Like a drop in performance, disengagement at work can take different forms. It can manifest as a lack of initiative, participation and communication.

4. Subdued Motivation

Work engagement and motivation go hand in hand. For instance, happy and satisfied employees want to be part of the company and its growth. Dissatisfied quiet quitters do not care as much and may isolate themselves to only core tasks and events — showing indifference to whether their team or the company does well.

The once passionate inner flame of enthusiasm may now just be a flickering ember. Their drive to grow and go the extra mile is subdued to the required minimum. Again, performing your core tasks as contracted is no cause for concern, but it won’t promote growth.

It may also be a serious sign of disconnection. What initially motivated the team member is now lost — and it’s not something that gets lost overnight. It takes time.

5. Changed Behavior

Quiet quitters may be more apathetic to their workplace and team members, and they may not pay much attention to whether they thrive or are struggling. However, there is a spectrum of other behavioral changes.

Especially frustrated quiet quitters may display negative emotions and mannerisms. They may partake in harmful activities like gossiping or complaining and even acting unprofessionally to colleagues or clients. This behavior can negatively affect the morale of others.

A quiet quitter struggling with burnout may also seem unhealthier. Taking on more than they can handle may increase stress levels, which affects one’s health and their work-life balance.

How Employers Can Prevent Quiet Quitting

It’s clear that quiet quitting negatively affects the employee and employer. Knowing how to respond to quiet quitting can make all the difference. HR departments and executives can implement actionable steps to correct and prevent quiet quitting by understanding its root causes and signs. Here are a few impactful strategies to help you get started.

1. Improve Manager Engagement

Employees have daily contact with their team leaders and managers. If higher-ups are disengaged, chances are, their behavior will spread throughout the organization — starting with their team members. Leaders have a big impact on their team’s engagement and morale, even helping prevent burnout. As such, it’s crucial to implement engagement strategies with management first.

Investing in leadership development training solutions can be a great way to start creating an engaging and positive work environment. Training can encompass the following:

2. Create a Sense of Purpose

Stagnant growth, unclear expectations and poor work-life balance may all contribute to a lack of purpose in employees’ jobs. Staff with no professional direction may start quiet quitting as a result. To prevent it, focus on creating a value-based company culture that clearly defines everyone’s role — and their impact — in the organization.

It’s vital that staff understand how their work connects with the company as a whole to improve employees’ sense of belonging. There are various methods to go about creating a sense of purpose, such as:

3. Reward and Recognize Achievements

The combination of poor compensation and a lack of recognition is another major cause of quiet quitting. To prevent this, ensure your employees feel valued and recognized for their efforts in a timely and consistent manner. There are diverse ways to reward your organization’s staff — recognition can be monetary and non-monetary.

Here are a few monetary examples of how you can show your appreciation:

Non-monetary appreciation examples may include:

Move Your Company Forward With Exude Human Capital

Quiet quitting is an issue companies cannot ignore. However, there are ways to reengage and retain employees, helping them become more satisfied with their work. HR and company leaders play an intricate role in quiet quitting prevention. Consulting services from Exude Human Capital can empower leaders to help their companies and employees thrive.

We offer high-quality consulting services in human resources, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and leadership development. From strategic advisory to inclusive culture alignment, we help businesses develop effective solutions. We don’t believe in the “cookie-cutter” approach — our solutions are designed with your needs in mind.

Contact us online today to learn how we can help prevent quiet quitting in your organization.

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