4 minute read
Let's Say The Quiet Part Out Loud
By Dean Jackson, CCAM-HR
There appears to be a new trend, but appearances can be deceiving. The trend has even generated TikTok posts (I just need MySpace), Wikipedia entries, Gallup Polls, and Wall Street Journal articles. So, what is “Quiet Quitting?” Is it even new?
Research by Gallup indicated that nearly one-third of workers described themselves as engaged or enthusiastic about their work, and about 20% described themselves as “actively disengaged.” Gallup recently estimated that nearly 50% of the workforce consists of quiet quitters, with the trend having accelerated in late 2021.
Active disengagement isn’t a new thing. It is basically doing the minimum to get by at work and draw a paycheck. This is working to the job description but not doing more than it requires. Quiet quitting can include refusal of overtime, only focusing on work tasks during work hours, and letting tasks assigned at the end of the day wait until the following workday.
A focus on work/life balance can be conflated with quiet quitting, but they can be quite different. While someone tries to refrain from checking work emails during off hours, tries not to focus on work tasks during off hours, or takes vacation, they are trying to keep work and life balanced. They may not be quiet quitting though. Taking the time to recharge one’s batteries can have the opposite effect and make the person an engaged and enthusiastic employee.
In our industry, is it possible to be successful while just doing the bare minimum? While having a solid job description will certainly help an employee to know their responsibilities, what about the manager who unexpectedly has to act as a pet psychologist or leaf litigator?
Over time, quiet quitting can sabotage a job or even a company. It can be looked upon as selfish, as co-workers end up taking up the slack while clients are underserved. As coworkers get burnt out, they too may quiet quit, thus morale is damaged by what one CEO describes as unethical behavior.
A friend who works for the Employment Development Department (Unemployment) notes that employees are fired at a higher rate for attendance issues than any other issue. Tardiness, long lunches, and absences are all signs of quiet quitting. Sometimes, employees just “ghost” a company by not showing up one day.
So aside from loud firing, how should companies and staff respond to and forestall this problem? Working too hard can lead to exhaustion and start the path to quiet quitting. Technology that tracks computer work can reveal someone slacking off or overworking. Being overwhelmed can have the same effect.
A sign of a possible issue can be an overloaded email inbox with things presumably not being addressed, a cluttered desk could be a symptom, frequent tardiness, or a short temper may be a sign. Working from home may not be for everyone.
The structure of the office, the gallows humor, and the sharing of ideas can be a positive factor. If someone’s productivity has suffered in a hybrid work environment maybe that is a factor to consider.
The hot job market right now makes employees feel that they are in the driver’s seat. People can have low morale and give up internally, leading to disengagement. A company should be a team with each team member knowing their importance and their shared mission.
Does the team communicate? Is there the freedom to provide input or to take concerns to one’s supervisor? Does the team interact in a social setting, such as a periodic party or dinner?
Company culture is important. Setting goals and expectations for the staff (including an expectation that they will take vacation) is an important step as well. In our somewhat unique industry, doing the bare minimum is not sustainable for success. We just have too many things to juggle. It’s important to try to keep staff engaged, so they don’t quiet quit and join the circus for a different type of juggling.
Thanks to Paul Collins, CAMEx, CCAM, CEO of Collins Management, and Melanie Malik, CCAM-PM, Director of Operations and Education at Collins Management for their contributions to this article.
Dean Jackson, CCAM-HR is Director of Project Management at Collins Management, ACMC