What Business Owners Need to Know About Quiet Quitting

 

In 2021, nearly 50 million Americans quit their jobs to pursue better employment opportunities or even strike out on their own and become their own boss. This year’s hottest workplace trend is quiet quitting. It calls for employees to stick with their current job, but only do the bare minimum required to keep it. That means no more unpaid overtime, answering emails after hours, or going the extra mile to satisfy customers. 

Nearly a quarter of American workers say they’re following this trend, which presents challenges for business owners like us. Employees who buy into quiet quitting may have low workplace engagement and cost your company money due to decreased work performance. Recent studies have shown that an employee who quietly quits costs their employer 20% of their annual salary in lost revenue. 

So how can you keep your employees invested in their work so they don’t quietly (or actually) quit? Here are some tips to boost employee engagement and prevent this trend from hurting your business. 

Promote Work-Life Balance

Employees who are drawn to the quiet quitting philosophy are often burnt out. That’s why it’s important for you to promote a healthy work-life balance and encourage your employees to take care of themselves. Make sure you aren’t overburdening your workers with too many responsibilities to the point that they feel overwhelmed. 

Additionally, consider giving your employees benefits like paid family leave and flexible work schedules. Although these policies cost money, they usually pay off in the long run by increasing employee engagement and satisfaction, which helps ward off quiet quitting. 

Provide Advancement Opportunities 

A lack of advancement opportunities is another reason why employees decide to quietly quit. Sixty-three percent of workers who left a job in 2021 did so because there were no opportunities for career development. Employees want to feel like their hard work is recognized and grow with the business they work for. 

It’s a good idea for you (or your managers) to meet with employees periodically to discuss their career goals and figure out how to best support them. Employees who want to learn new skills may appreciate it if you pay for them to attend conferences or provide tuition reimbursement. If your employees feel supported in their efforts to improve professionally and move up on the career ladder, they’re more likely to remain engaged and motivated at work.

Maintain Good Management Practices 

Another key reason why employees engage in quiet quitting is because they don’t like their boss. Over 80% of workers say they’d consider leaving their company because of a bad manager. The quality that workers dislike most in a boss is a micromanaging leadership style. If you or your managers don’t give employees the freedom to work independently, they may feel like they aren’t trusted or valued and start looking for a new employer. 

Ultimately, the best way to combat quiet quitting is to treat your employees well so they don’t check out and stop caring as much about their work. After all, getting tired of dealing with bad work environments was one of the reasons I decided to become my own boss in the first place! Your employees might do the same if they don’t enjoy working for your company. 

Although the worker retention strategies mentioned above cost money and take time to implement, they tend to pay dividends. The more satisfied your employees are, the more productive, dedicated, and efficient they’ll be, which can help your business generate more revenue. 

Has quiet quitting affected your business? Do you have advice for other business owners on how to boost employee engagement? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!

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