5 Ways to avoid ‘Quiet Quitting’
Have you heard the conversation about quiet quitting? The term which originated on TikTok defines the act of mentally checking out of your role without actually quitting.
Those who ‘quiet quit’ reject the idea of going above and beyond in the workplace in order to focus on life beyond the office. It’s the antithesis of the passion that drives the creative industry and can signal problems for the creative process if it isn’t caught and rectified correctly.
When employees disengage it ultimately impacts productivity, team morale and revenue
If you’re an agency owner or senior team member, the idea of quiet quitting may (rightly) send shivers down your spine. But there are a few ways you can first, detect any quiet quitters within your ranks, then sensibly ensure their enthusiasm is restored and productivity resumes.
These are our thoughts:
1. Choose Health Over Hustle
Hustle culture encourages us to start work early, finish late and spend lunchtime at our desks. A rapid recipe for burnout if you ask us.
Whilst the brilliant work our industry puts out requires employees to get stuck in, overtime should still be an exception, not the rule, as employees who are overworked and encouraged to meet unrealistic work deadlines are more likely to mentally switch off.
Your employees time, passion and graft should be managed sensibly
So how can you pre-empt your employees burning out or jumping ship? Place emphasis on healthy boundaries and balance for them.
Lead by example. Be sure that those you lead see you actively attending to your own well-being
As a leader, you’re best placed to advocate for healthy workplace boundaries. The more vocal you are about employees’ right to downtime; the less likely team members will be to overstep those bounds.
Some ways you can be an advocate:
- Allowing personal days
- Emphasizing that answering after-hours calls or emails is optional
- Marking messages as urgent / non-urgent
- Defining the guidelines of what constitutes an appropriate after-hours emergency
- Ensuring employees who stay late one day are allowed to leave early another day
2. Listen to your team
Quiet quitting rarely starts quietly. Very often, employees express concern that goes unresolved to each other or a manager first
When outspoken employees go quiet in meetings, or key contributors suddenly take a backseat, do some digging to get to the root cause. This behaviour may not indicate quiet quitting, as the employee might simply need a break to recharge or may be facing personal difficulties, but it should be dealt with compassionately to avoid the former occurring.
The more that you spend time with your staff, the more likely you are to recognize changes in demeanour and perspective
During busy periods or times of stress, personal development meetings are very often the first to disappear from the calendar. If they do go ahead, they’re usually rushed and rarely followed through. But PDPs and informal chats are the medicine needed to avoid quiet quitting. They will help you recognise your team’s needs early on; before they totally disengage.
3. Keep the passion alive
Nurturing strong social ties between employees and management can encourage a sense of duty and a drive to avoid disappointing colleagues.
You want your staff to be as dedicated to the success of your business as you are
Team members who view their bosses as actual humans, and not merely authority figures, tend to feel a stronger sense of commitment to the job. They’re also more likely to speak up about a problem because a level of trust has been established. Not only does this make for a way nicer work environment but it enables leaders to resolve the issue before it progresses to quiet quitting.
Luckily, the best way to cultivate this rapport is also the easiest: having fun together. Dinner, drinks, axe-throwing. Whatever helps you connect on a human-to-human level.
4. Allow for compromise
Employees appreciate when their needs are accommodated. Quiet quitters give up when they feel they are giving more than they are receiving or when their needs are consistently ignored.
Be as flexible and accommodating as possible.
Whether it’s allowing employees to work remotely from home, having flexible hours or even sharing some of their responsibilities with others, being open to different arrangements can go a long way in keeping employees happy at work.
5. Get creative with growth opportunities
Quiet quitting happens when inertia sets in. When a once exciting role turns into dead-end job that has gotten neither worse nor better
Quiet quitters are not chronic under-performers but tend to be high performers who have become disillusioned and disengaged.
To avoid this, create opportunities for employees to grow and advance within their team or wider company. Switch up collaboration regularly and provide training and developmental opportunities, or offer new challenges and stretch assignments.
Express your belief in your employees’ abilities and potential to develop
Addressing employee engagement and striving for cultures of connection and open communication is crucial for your team and for business. Attend to them, and you’ll lower the risk of having employees quietly quit on you.
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