Quiet quitting is the latest topical phrase to hit the workplace headlines and involves people essentially doing the bare minimum in their workplace.
In this article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs dives deeper into quiet quitting; debating whether it is an actual problem and outlining how employers can combat the issue.
What is quiet quitting?
At first glance, it might sound like an individual who simply slides their notice under your office door one day and before you know it, they’ve left with their belongings and P45.
In reality, quiet quitting describes a shift in attitude among the workforce and particularly against the idea that a worker should be expected to go above and beyond the job for which they were hired.
How does quiet quitting effect the workplace?
The knock-on effect for any workplace is clearly a reduction in productivity when they get less out of an individual.
It may not be quite the endemic problem social media would suggest but working to rule can and does affect many businesses.
Why is quiet quitting a thing?
It is easy to talk about a generational divide and certain media outlets are keen to fuel the notion that some (often younger) generations are taking this attitude due to laziness.
The problem with this view is twofold: firstly, there is nothing to suggest that laziness is behind this phenomenon and, secondly, even if it is a younger generation mostly taking this attitude, are they wrong to do so?
A lack of motivation?
Gallup Global recently undertook its 2022 Global Workplace Report and found that less than 10% of respondent employees felt engaged and enthused about their work. The UK ranked among the worst in Europe for employee engagement.
If staff don’t feel their work is valuable, or that they themselves are valued for doing it, there is no motivation to go above and beyond. One principle that certainly is not new is the idea that we should work to live, not live to work.
What can employers do about quiet quitting?
The natural instinct to discovering that a member or multiple members of staff are doing the bare minimum is frustration.
That is, however, an unhelpful approach because, assuming these staff have the requisite length of service, it will be hard to get rid of them for doing their job – they may be doing the absolute minimum necessary but there is no obligation for them to go above and beyond providing they are doing the job.
It may be framed as a capability or conduct issue, but do you want to be the employed facing a Tribunal to justify dismissing someone for doing exactly what they are paid to do?
What’s the solution?
The solution, as always, is to identify and remedy the underlying problem. Among other things, recent research and surveys have indicated that:
- Regular, informal feedback improves performance
- Modest financial rewards also improve productivity in unrewarding tasks
- Remote workers are those who feel least engaged, especially in meetings and social events
- Less than half of employees feel valued by their superiors
An Employment Solicitor’s view
Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs says: “There are plenty of good reasons to discourage quiet quitting.
Recruitment costs are currently averaging £2,000 at relatively junior levels and if staff do ultimately leave over a lack of incentive to remain, recruitment will become yet another cost at what is already a difficult time for businesses.
For workers, quiet quitting can feel empowering but it does not instil any sense of success or achievement. Most people are goal-driven and one of the strongest motivators is positive reinforcement for success.”
Our advice for employers
Chris continues: “Businesses want to retain their staff, particularly their good staff, and to have them working well and productively.
Expensive pay increases are not the only way to achieve that and, with relatively little expense and input, it is possible to increase engagement and the sense of value which staff have very effectively."
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