Cocktails with Carl
Quiet Quitting- What Are We Really Talking About?
Business owners and company leaders are dealing with a new phenomenon. It’s called “quiet quitting” and it means that many of your employees are only contributing the very bare minimum in performing their job responsibilities. In fact, according to a Gallup survey taken in the second quarter of 2022, 50% of workers claim they are “actively disengaged” at work.
For years, the cultural norm was to go “above and beyond”, climb the corporate ladder, earn more money, and receive accolades from your peers. That built in motivation naturally fueled highly productive work. But that’s not the case anymore and the charge looks to be led primarily by the younger generations. In a recent study conducted by Axios/Generation Lab, 82% of polled workers between the ages of 18-29 said that doing the bare minimum is “extremely appealing”.
These are concerning numbers, but what exactly is causing this change in attitude? The most frequent answer is job burnout due to the pandemic. As hybrid/remote work became prevalent, the lines between home and work life blurred leading to elevated stress and exhaustion. The natural response then was to just lower the priority of work in favor of something that would boost both physical and mental health. Things like spending time with family/friends, exercising, hobbies, or traveling. The job just wasn’t that important anymore.
As owners of companies and leaders of teams, is there anything we can do to prevent quiet quitting from taking hold in our own organizations? The quick and easy answer is probably not entirely. And I’m not even sure that is the overall goal anyway. To be honest, a healthy and thriving organization should be encouraging employees to stay as mentally and physically fit as possible. So with that in mind, below I share a number of ways to lessen the impact of quiet quitting while keeping team members motivated to produce at the highest level possible.
Communicate a clear vision and strategy for the company
Your employees want to know that they are part of a larger plan and that the effort they put in is going to make a difference. Without an articulated vision and strategy, they’ll feel like they are wandering aimlessly through their days without purpose, then disengage. I’d recommend kicking off each year with a company gathering to share an updated annual strategy and set of goals that connect every individual to the larger plan. Then each month follow up with a team meeting where you get together and report on the progress in relation to the plan.
Define and publish a company value system (and talk about it often)
Having a published set of beliefs that guide the organization's decision making is another step in solidifying employee engagement. Without a unifying value system, each employee will operate under their own, leading to misalignment, isolation, and disengagement. At June Co, we talk about our value system a lot, especially when interviewing potential employees. We want to ensure we are bringing the right people onto the team, and by staying committed to our values, we are able to avoid uncomfortable conversations down the road.
Build trust and allow autonomy
Give employees the freedom to make decisions and earn respect, even if it means that mistakes will be made from time to time. Micromanaging your team shows them that you lack trust and they will tighten up and quit performing as a result. Have you ever witnessed an overly coached team during crunch time? They are so afraid to do something wrong that they play tense and end up choking. At June Co, we work on operating under a philosophy of context, not control. By that I mean our job as leaders is to provide a loose framework and then let the team work within it to make decisions and execute independently.
Invest in professional development
Employees that aren’t learning and growing get bored, then check out. There are all sorts of ways to keep challenging your team to get better. Here are a few from simple and cheap to more expensive and consequential:
Share interesting articles and podcast episodes with one another.
Build a library of applicable books at the office that employees can use.
Send your employees to industry trade shows or conferences.
Purchase technology that allows your team to perform at their highest level.
Cover the cost of classes, either online or at a local college or university.
Encourage time away from work
Everybody needs to get away from their work periodically to clear their head and rejuvenate. Work fatigue is a real thing and that can lead to frustration, followed by disengagement or even quitting. Make sure your entire PTO package is generous enough to allow your team ample time to escape. Once that’s in place, it’s equally important to encourage your employees to use this time, especially if you notice they are on the verge of burnout.
Recognize your employees for a job well done
Fairly simple concept here, if your employee busts their butt to do a great job, then you need to acknowledge that effort. As a manager of a team or leader of people, staying silent can signal dissatisfaction or, at the very least, apathy. Your employees want to hear that their work matters and without that acknowledgement don’t be surprised if they become unhappy and disengaged. And employee recognition doesn’t have to be costly or formal, showing your sincere gratitude through direct, verbal communication will go a long way on its own.
I’m not that old, but I can’t imagine that maximizing employee engagement is a new topic of conversation all of a sudden. We’ve probably been talking about this in one way or another since the inception of the worker/boss relationship. Sure, we periodically face a new set of challenges that we need to work through together, like quiet quitting. Even in those cases, we can always depend on some old fashioned advice; value your team members, build their trust, and treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve. Simple in theory, but not always easy to execute.
Good luck!
Cocktail Recipe: Summer Shandy Punch
Hosting a Super Bowl party? This is an easy way to serve a large gathering without having to tend bar constantly.
2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 limes, thinly sliced (save a few slices for garnish)
1 apple, sliced
1 c. blueberries
1 (12-oz.) can ginger beer
2 (12-oz.) bottles wheat beer (like Hoegaarden)
1 c. lemonade 1/2 c. seltzer
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher or bowl and stir. Chill for 2 hours. Serve with lime slices for garnish. Enjoy!
