Over the last few weeks we’ve seen the emergence of the quiet quitting “trend”, through @Zaidleppelin's viral tiktok. In this video he states that “You’re not outright quitting your job, but you’re quitting the idea of going above and beyond”. This is something that resonated with workers around the world as many began to share their experiences of quiet quitting across many social media platforms. Whilst this phenomenon of quiet quitting is a trending topic now, it’s something that has been happening for years which suggests that a change needs to be made in the workplace. This change can be achieved when the needs of employees are made clear to employers, which is why we have scoured the internet to discover what employees had to say about quiet quitting.
No raise or promotion opportunity
‘‘Last year I found myself basically doing the quiet quit. The job had no real path for advancement or significant pay rises…My manager asked me to take on a ‘senior’ role to mentor a newer employee. I asked if that meant I was getting a raise & promotion and she shut that down immediately’’
Unhealthy expectations
‘’I’ve always viewed myself as a 9-5 guy, I go to work, I do my job and then outside of working hours my time is mine (barring any emergencies of course), but people look down on that in the tech industry. All anyone in tech wants is someone who lives and breathes tech and that’s just not healthy for anyone.’’
Short staffed and burnt out
‘’I've been overwhelmed and extremely burnt out. I've been distracted at work and not having a good work life balance. Up till now, we've been extremely short staffed with management expecting the same results as if we were fully staffed’’
Salary does not match workload
‘’I have worked on both sides of the spectrum. Employee and Corporate. Best advice, don't give it your all, instead, coast. Because in reality, expectations are too high from companies that are not willing to pay you what you think your worth is.‘’
Now that you have been given insight into what it is employees are really thinking it’s important to consider whether or not your employees are going through similar experiences. A good thing about quiet quitting is that employees are not actually quitting so there’s still a chance for a change, but it can only happen when employers are aware that there was a problem to begin with. Do regular check-ins with your team members and create a space where they feel comfortable to share their experiences with you or HR so that if there is an issue, together you can come up with solutions.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day we all want to be recognised for what we do, one main thing that employers should take away from “quiet quitting” is that once employees feel valued and respected for their efforts, they will naturally want to go above and beyond. Take a step outside of your role as an employer/manager and consider how you’d feel in the role of your senior, junior and entry-level staff members. Be open to listening to what your employees have to say and then following that up with the appropriate action. Once you’ve done this you’ll be on your way to ensuring a workplace where employees feel happy to do more than the bare minimum.
