In our last blog, Quiet Quitting: New Name, Old Phenomenon, we identified the true definition of Quiet Quitting, and recognized that though the name of the trend may be new, the behavior itself is not. The presence of Quiet Quitting has affected the workforce, from the employee level, all the way up to management. We also covered some of the tell-tale signs that are indicators of Quiet Quitting. However, one part of this phenomenon is just as important, and still needs addressing: identifying certain causes of the Quiet Quitting behavioral pattern.

According to SHRM’s article, Quiet Quitting is About Bad Bosses: Not Bad Employees, there is a direct correlation between employees that quiet quit, the relationship between the employee and their supervisor(s), and the supervisor’s approach to completing tasks and productivity. “Many people, at some point in their career, have worked for a manager that moved them toward quiet quitting. This comes from feeling undervalued and unappreciated. It’s possible that the managers were biased or they engaged in behavior that was inappropriate. Employees’ lack of motivation was a reaction to the actions of the manager.” The article continues, stating “…take a hard look at your approach toward getting results with your team members. When asking your direct reports for increased productivity, do you go out of your way to make sure that team members feel valued? Open and honest dialogue with colleagues about the expectations each party has of the other goes a long way.”

The best way to decrease the chances of your team being affected by Quiet Quitting is establishing productive, transparent communication, trust and consistency with your team. Consistent touch bases (1-1’s) are a great way to move in the right direction! Do you communicate to produce growth and create an ecosystem of encouragement? The article expands on attributes to build your leadership style on, “The most important factor is trust. When we analyzed data from more than 113,000 leaders to find the top behavior that helps effective leaders balance results with their concern for team members, the number one behavior that helped was trust. When direct reports trusted their leader, they also assumed that the manager cared about them and was concerned about their wellbeing.” It is indicative to any workplace environment that the employee/employer relationship:

1. Be established on the best foundation from the start
2. Thrive in a way that both employee and employer can learn, mature and grow together

Are you looking for ways to strengthen your management approach by pairing productivity goals with established value and connection with your team? Do you suspect that one or more of your employees may be quiet quitting? Clarity HR is here to help.

We are on the journey with you.

Written by: Stephanie Calhoun

October 13, 2022