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Quiet Quitting has recently become a popular career topic. Although this concept is not new, we now have a name for it. Simply put, workers are choosing to let go of extra work and only do what is necessary to get the job done. This trend can be attributed to years of hustle culture combined with a global pandemic which allowed workers to re-evaluate priorities. Susan Hunt Stevens, Founder and CEO at employee engagement company WeSpire, offers the following commentary on “Quiet Quitting”.
Quiet Quitting Defined
Doing “just what’s expected” and not going “above and beyond” should not be seen as quitting. Companies need good people who deliver on expectations and do the job they were hired to do – no more, no less. Not everyone needs to be gunning for that promotion or driving extra hard to get to the next level all the time. Delivering on expectations is anything but quitting. While there is the “it’s just wrong” quiet quitting in terms of outsourcing your job to someone else without permission or failing to deliver what’s expected at all, hoping that no one notices. But we should not equate doing what’s expected with quitting.
Engaging Employees
This creates a moment of opportunity – leaders need to think creatively and deliberately about how to engage their employees in the workplace in light of trends such as ‘quiet quitting’ and the rise of the boomerang employee. Companies looking to retain top talent need to demonstrate that their employees are valued, heard and engaged.
One meaningful approach is to leverage the powerful role that employee resource groups (ERGs) can play in employee engagement. In addition to connecting employees to each other, ERGs, when implemented effectively, can enhance the connection employees have to their company’s purpose, leading to improved engagement, workplace productivity, and higher rates of retention. Employers can use ERGs to listen and respond to the passions and demands of their workforce.
Additionally, ‘quiet quitters’ may feel that a lack of psychological safety in the workplace is demoralizing and leading to their diminished passion for the job, or they may be seeking a stronger commitment to sustainability or diversity & inclusion from their employer, among a range of possible factors contributing to a disconnected workplace experience. ERGs can be transformative in driving belonging, meeting employee passions, and creating safe spaces for inclusion and dialogue.
To learn more on leadership and employee engagement visit WeSpire.com