This new trending term across social media is essentially a response to burnout and “hustle culture”, where people are “quitting” doing more than what they are contracted to do without any extra compensation. For example, not doing work duties outside of work hours, not taking on any tasks that are not in their job description and not going "above and beyond" or even as a result becoming quieter in conversation and limiting communication to only when it’s needed.
It has recently become a controversial phrase, as many are misconstruing the term with some believing it means doing the “bare minimum”, which is false.
There are many reasons to why “quiet quitting” has happened and it’s not a sudden trend, it’s one that has been building up for a long time from the result of working long hours, burnout, the great resignation, and the pandemic in which employees had to take on more than just their contracted job. New research from Glassdoor found that negative discussion around burnout amongst UK workers has increased 48% in the last 12 months which has hit record levels. Is it time we look into our own workforce and make a change?
Employers need to gain a better understanding of how their employees are feeling and take notice of signs of burnout, frustration, and stress. It’s more than just employees setting boundaries in their workplace, it’s those feeling burnt out, or the aftermath of burnout with many experiencing “quiet quitting” from being at the tail end of the pandemic. Employees re-evaluating their role in a business can create social disconnect and could lead to them leaving if they are unsupported and have unsustainable workloads.
So how can employers help?
Talk to employees and ensure they feel supported in their roles. Scheduled 1:1s are a great way of keeping up with how your employees are doing, as well as finding out if they need any help and creating relationships with regular conversation. It’s important to note that you don’t have to just talk about work as personal life can often affect work life, especially in our current crisis of cost of living.
Ensure that job responsibilities are on the same page for you as the employer and for them as the employee and have a mutual understanding of the role. If employees are working outside contracted hours ensure they are compensated regarding your policies.
If an employee seems disengaged with their work, have an informal conversation to gain a better understanding.
Anonymous Employee surveys are another great way of getting a better understanding of your business as a whole.
PPI’s can also be a valuable yet a not often talked about resource to a business to gain a better understanding of how your employees work best.
And if you would like to find out more about burnout, click below to go to our blog on the topic.
📢If you need any advice on how to make your business more diverse and inclusive or need HR or Training services, contact us for a free initial consultation call on: 01935 411191 or email: enquiries@rbhr.co.uk. 📢