What is quiet quitting and why should business owners care?

In today's business world, more and more employees are quitting their jobs in a way that doesn't involve quitting verbally or through a resignation letter. This trend is called "quiet quitting" and it can be dangerous and detrimental to business owners. In this article, we'll explore what quiet quitting is, why it's happening, and what business owners can do to prevent it.

What is quiet quitting?

It's a trend that has been making the rounds on TikTok lately and it basically means taking a step back from your job and offering the bare minimum that is required of you. 

It's commonly seen as a way to set boundaries and protect your mental health, but it can also be a way of passive-aggressively quitting without having to put your notice in. In many ways, it is a protest.

There are a few different ways that someone might go about quiet quitting. It is commonly done by individuals who would typically go above and beyond for their job, but for various reasons, they feel that this effort is going unnoticed. 

They might stop contributing to meetings. They might start leaving work on time every day. And they might even start rejecting extra responsibilities.

What is potentially more damaging is that quiet quitting is a trend that employees like to talk about. This means they might be discussing this with colleagues and people outside of your business. This could be damaging to employee morale and could give outsiders a bad impression of your business.

Is this just another name for poor employee engagement?

In a nutshell, yes. Quiet quitting is often the result of poor employee engagement. When employees feel like their hard work is going unnoticed or that their company doesn't value their contributions, they're more likely to disengage from their work. 

This can quickly lead to a spiral of apathy and eventually, quiet quitting. They are saying that conditions aren't bad enough for them to want to leave, but they aren't feeling appreciated enough to want to contribute their best work.

Why do business owners need to know about this?

As a business owner, quiet quitting can be extremely detrimental to your company. It's important to be aware of the signs of disengagement so that you can take steps to address the issue before it leads to this type of behaviour. Once someone has started quietly quitting, it can be very difficult to get them back on track.

If employee engagement is poor, it's a sign that you need to make some changes within your company. Maybe you need to provide more feedback or show appreciation more often. Maybe you need to give employees more autonomy or offer more opportunities for growth. Whatever the case may be, it's important to take action before disengagement leads to quiet quitting.

How can business owners prevent this?

The best way to prevent quiet quitting is to focus on employee engagement. Make sure that you're regularly checking in with your employees and getting feedback from them. Show appreciation for a job well done and offer opportunities for growth. When employees feel valued, they're more likely to be engaged with their work and less likely to disengage.