DanskDo you have employees who complain and speak up? Consider yourself lucky, it’s a sign of engagement.
When people speak up it’s a true indication that they are fighting to improve their conditions to perform and feel happy at work. It’s the silence you should fear. Silence is often a sign of disengagement, and worst case your employees are “quiet quitting.”
If you have yet to encounter or hear about quiet quitting, it’s time you do, and we are here to help you understand and prevent it.
Quiet quitting is not a new phenomenon, yet still a concept many leaders ignore or overlook, maybe not intentionally, but due to the very fact that it is quiet and hard to spot when going on.
It refers to when an individual stops putting effort into their job and slowly begins to disengage from their responsibilities without giving any formal notice or explanation. It is when an employee feels a form of hopelessness because they don’t trust in the company or leader anymore. They don’t put up a fight because they don’t believe that the battle can be won.
This type of quitting can be detrimental to the workplace, causing morale issues and leaving team members struggling to cover the absent employee’s work. The culture will suffer, and you’ll be left with an employee who does the bare minimum, which, of course, isn’t ideal.
To prevent quiet quitting, it is crucial to understand the reasons behind it. Some of the common causes include burnout, feeling undervalued or unappreciated, and lack of growth opportunities.
Here are five things you can do, to prevent it.
1. Foster a positive work environment:
Encourage open communication and create a supportive culture where employees feel valued and appreciated. Providing opportunities for growth and development can also keep your employees engaged and motivated.
2. Recognize the signs of burnout:
Pay attention to employees who seem to be struggling and take action to address the issue. This may involve offering flexible work arrangements, providing resources for stress management, or simply taking the time to check in with the employee and see how they are doing.
3. Create a feedback culture:
Maintain continuous feedback, at least on a monthly basis. Encourage employees to share their thoughts and opinions and take their feedback seriously. Listening to their concerns and take action based on it. If you feel overwhelmed with the tasks of facilitating ongoing feedback, we recommend using Successteam for that. We are not biased or anything…😉
4. Offer support:
Provide employees with the resources they need to succeed, including training, coaching, and mentorship. Supportive leadership can help employees feel confident and empowered, and that’ll prevent quiet quitting.
5. Celebrate successes:
Regularly acknowledge and celebrate employee accomplishments. This helps build a positive culture and can prevent employees from feeling undervalued or unappreciated.
In conclusion, quiet quitting is a major issue that can significantly impact the workplace. By fostering a positive work environment, you’ll prevent it.
So next time your employee complains, remember that it might be the quiet person next to them you should actually be worried about. Don’t scold your fighters. Listen to them and appreciate that they are still fighting to change what they don’t like.
Happy employees also perform at a much higher level, so you have absolutely no reason to neglect the prioritization of happiness.
Anyway, being the angry, micromanagement type of boss is so outdated.