Quiet Quitting: Understanding the Trend and Its Impact on the Workplace
At least 50% of the U.S. workforce and possibly more are “quiet quitters.” The concept that millions of individuals are only doing what is required of them at work and not going above and beyond could worsen the trend toward silent resignation, which is already on the rise on social media. This is a problem because the majority of occupations in today’s workforce include some level of additional work to interact with coworkers and satisfy client expectations. Beginning in the second part of 2021, engagement started to decline, which coincided with an increase in job resignations. Among other groups, managers saw the biggest decline.
The reduction was correlated with a connection to the organization’s vision or purpose, opportunities for learning and growth, and clarity of expectations, indicating a widening gap between workers and their employers.
Is ‘Quiet Quitting’ Just a Trend?
According to a 36,000-person poll by Edelman, those between the ages of 18 and 26 are most concerned about their safety, health, income, social ties, and ability to keep up with change.
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However, workforce studies on the evolving nature of the workplace support the emergence of silent resignation and opine that it’s more than just a trending hashtag on social media. In the words of a professional in organizational behavior, quitting quietly is a strategy to deal with burnout.
According to research, burnout is a significant concern in the job, particularly for younger Gen Z professionals in their twenties. According to a Microsoft poll of 30,000 employees, 54% of Gen Z employees are thinking about leaving their jobs.
The World Economic Forum places “youth disillusionment” ninth out of ten imminent threats in its 2021 Global Threats Report. The results show that, since the epidemic began, mental health has declined, leaving 80% of young people worldwide vulnerable to sadness, anxiety, and disillusionment.
The remaining population is either actively engaged (32%) or disengaged (18%). These individuals in the latter category are “loud quitters.” Actively disengaged workers frequently have their requirements at work unmet and are vocal about it; they have posted on TikTok videos that have received millions of views and comments. The majority of disengaged or actively disengaged workers are already looking for new employment.
The Workplace Has Gotten Worse For Younger Employees
The engagement and employer satisfaction of remote Gen Z and younger millennials (those under 35) have gradually decreased.
Comparing this to the years before the pandemic is noteworthy. Since the epidemic, younger employees have experienced a marked loss in their sense of belonging and prospects for growth, especially from their manager. These benefits for younger employees have largely vanished.
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Somewhat more people are leaving their 9 to 5 occupations to launch their enterprises or experiment with non-traditional employment such as temporary, gig, or part-time positions. Due to the barriers that remote working has removed for working or living abroad, some people are even leaving their jobs to take time off or care for their families.
While Gen Xers and Millennials between the ages of 25 and 45 are generally the ones exploring self-employment and new sorts of work, Gen Z workers between the ages of 18 and 24 value flexibility and meaningful work the most. According to experts, the ‘passion economy’, in which individuals work more on their passions, has ushered in a new era of side jobs in a variety of fields, from campaigning to craft.
Conclusion
Quiet quitting is a sign of ineffective management. One must first address manager engagement. Just one-third of managers report feeling engaged at work. For managers to succeed in the new hybrid environment, senior leadership must reskill them.
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To assist employees prevent disengagement and burnout, managers must learn how to have discussions with them. Only managers are in a position to understand each employee’s unique circumstances, skills, and objectives. Employees need to understand how their work contributes to the overall goals of the firm, and managers need to establish accountability for individual performance, team collaboration, and customer value.
