“Quiet quitting" started as a TikTok video describing how one employee was finding work-life balance by changing how they approached their job without actually quitting. The now-viral video has generated numerous articles and news stories, many with different takes on what quiet quitting means. 

Some of these theories include:

1) Employees are setting boundaries. The initial TikTok video defined quiet quitting as employees doing their jobs, but no more and no less. They are good employees who do their jobs satisfactorily and maybe even above satisfactory. They work their scheduled hours, complete their job duties, fulfill work demands, attend meetings, and meet their goals and numbers. However, they do not do more than what is necessary to meet those expectations.

For quiet quitters, it's about setting boundaries and not getting caught up in the over-and-above efforts some workplaces demand. It's about doing their jobs but not taking on more duties. It's about working the scheduled hours but not working nights, weekends or over vacation. It's about pursuing their interests and development without confining themselves to only career or industry advancement. It's about being satisfied in their current role and not striving to advance.

2) It's the next phase of the Great Resignation. Quiet quitting is seen by some as an alternative to joining the Great Resignation. An estimated 48 million employees quit their jobs in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employees quit for various reasons: 63% of workers said they quit because the pay was too low, 63% said there was no opportunity for advancement, 57% felt disrespected at work, and 48% because of childcare issues, according to Pew Research. 

The trend has not ended in 2022, with more than 4 million people resigning their jobs each month so far with 40% of employees considering quitting their jobs within the next six months, according to a study by McKinsey and Company published in July.

Instead of searching for a new company to provide the changes they want and need, quiet quitters are staying in their current jobs while also taking opportunities outside of the workplace to meet their wants and needs. They may stop working extended hours or performing extra job duties to have the flexibility to spend more time with their family, focus on their health, take development courses, or, if they need more income, they may use the time to get a second job or side hustle.

3) Employees are disengaged. Some see the quiet quitting trend as employees being disengaged at work, meaning they come in late and leave early, have numerous absences, work slowly, lack interest in work are easily distracted, do not communicate, and produce minimal or unacceptable results.

An estimated 19% of the workforce is actively disengaged, and only 21% are actively engaged, according to Gallup's “State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report." Before the pandemic, engagement had been rising globally, but progress has stalled and 2022's engagement rate remains below the 2019 peak.

In its analysis of several surveys on employee engagement, Harvard Business Review found that the managers who were the most willing to go the extra mile for their employees had 62% of their employees giving extra effort on the job while only 3% are quietly quitting.

How To Respond to Quiet Quitting

If quiet quitting is impacting your workplace, there are some actions to take:

1) Review job descriptions and work expectations. What do you really need your employees to do? What are you paying them to do? What did you hire them to do?

Ensure employees know the expectations, but also make sure you're not expecting more than what they were hired to do. Changing workforce size and operational demands require employees to grow and stretch, but if they are not compensated for it or need to work more hours to get the job done without acknowledgment or balance, they may push back or leave.

2) Review compensation. Pay employees fairly for the job you want and need them to do. While not everything comes down to money, compensation and benefits are motivating factors behind employee commitment and engagement. Recent market factors have increased pay ranges and inflation has increased employee pay needs.

3) Develop effective communication and ways to connect. A key component of an effective working relationship is communication, especially between employees and their managers. The evolving needs of both company and employee, along with changing workplace arrangements, mean that the way employees and managers communicate needs to change.

Whether your agency is using virtual or in-person touchpoints and whether communication occurs via regular meetings, frequent informal conversations or regular performance management conversations, employees need to know what is expected of them, how their contribution is valued, and that their concerns are being heard.

4) Encourage employees to learn and grow inside and outside the company. Along with offering employees opportunities to develop within the company and their roles, consider also encouraging employees to pursue personal interests. Bring in outside resources during work or give them time off to take classes or give them a stipend to pay for outside courses.

5) Avoid “quiet firing." “Constructive discharge" is a term to describe when employers make the workplace hostile or unsupportive to drive employees away. Quiet firing may be less aggressive but have the same impact. Employees may be denied raises, development opportunities or time off. Or perhaps they face intended or unintended bias.

Whatever the situation, if employers are not giving employees what they need to thrive at work, then employees will not give the extra effort companies may want.

6) Encourage trust between employees and managers. Managers can create trust with employees by having a positive relationship, showing consistency, and having expertise in the role, according to Harvard Business Review analysis. The importance of this trust can ensure employees feel valued, are more engaged and therefore less likely to quietly quit.

Additionally, working toward deserving employee enthusiasm by doing more for employees also encourages them to do more for the organization, according to Harvard Business Review's article. 

One final thought: Not every employee will have the 24/7 commitment that owners and executives must have to make the business successful—nor should they be expected to. In fact, if you expect employees to hustle to do more to help grow your business, they may realize they can put in the same effort to grow their own business pursuing their passion while creating the work-life balance they want.

Paige McAllister is vice president, HR compliance, Affinity HR Group, Inc. Affinity HR is the endorsed HR partner of Big “I" Hires, the Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia, Big I New York, and Big I New Jersey.

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