What is Quiet Quitting & How Do You Prevent It?

What Is Quiet Quitting?

You’ve heard the term, but what does quiet quitting mean?

The term quiet quitting reflects the practice of creating strong work-life boundaries. That means no staying in late, working off the clock, taking on co-workers' responsibilities, or going above and beyond your job description in any capacity.

In other words, workers who “quiet quit” are checking out from their jobs and only doing what is necessary to not get fired.

According to Gallup, over half of Americans are quiet quitting, which should raise legitimate concerns for employers—especially those requiring all hands on deck.

While quiet quitting may not spell imminent doom—expecting everyone to always give 110% is unrealistic—responsible business owners will want to prevent quiet quitting culture from pushing their team toward poor performance or outright dereliction of duty.

Read More: 30 Employee Perk Ideas to Attract and Retain Employees

How to Prevent Quiet Quitting At Your Workplace

Your business needs happy, motivated employees that are willing to put in the effort to make your organization successful.

The best methods to prevent quiet quitting involve making your team feel valued, respected, and included.

You can improve professional relationships at the office and prevent quiet quitting using the following tips:

Keep job expectations realistic

There are only so many hours in the workweek. Managers should assign achievable deadlines, not strive to max employees out at 100% productivity. By pushing your team too hard, you may ironically create an environment where less gets done due to increased resentment and burnout.

Respect work/life boundaries

The new generation of employees has different attitudes towards work than their parents. According to PEW Research, only 51% of Americans get a sense of identity from their jobs, while 47% see their job as something they simply do for a living. More than ever, hobbies and communities offset what was once tied exclusively to people’s jobs. In today’s environment, managers must give their team space to have a life and find purpose outside of work.

Recognize good work

Giving your team a pat on the back for a job well-done is an easy way to boost motivation. Be sure to recognize your employees when they do go above and beyond to encourage similar behavior in the future. Your team won’t continue putting effort into thankless work.

Maintain open communication

You can’t know how your employees feel if you never speak to them. An open line of communication is one of the easiest ways to motivate your team and ensure they have what they need to succeed. As a rule of thumb, aim to have at least one meaningful conversation per week.

Offer personal development opportunities

Your organization should be more than an employee turnstile. Ideally, you’re facilitating real-world opportunities to get ahead and achieve personal growth. Career development, like courses and skills training, is a great way to ensure that employees see their work as more than just another job.

Provide proper compensation

A related term that has seen a resurgence in the wake of “quiet quitting” is “acting your wage.” Workers who drop this term promote the idea that you shouldn’t be doing any more than what you feel you are being compensated for. By giving your employees fair pay for what’s expected of them, they’ll reciprocate the favor and show up ready to perform.

Deliver more work perks

Benefits like insurance, gym membership, volunteer opportunities, and retirement plans are excellent ways to supplement pay. With rising inflation affecting the purchasing power of salaries, upping your benefits will motivate your team to achieve despite economic downturns.

Don’t force leadership roles

With great power comes great responsibility. That’s why some workers want neither. Letting employees stay in their lane will prevent them from biting off more than they care to chew and resenting a promotion. Having a motivated junior employee is better than a burnt-out middle manager.

Prioritize mental health

Mental health awareness has erupted in recent years following decades of stigmatization. Practicing positive managerial behaviors, like speaking to employees respectfully and prioritizing stress & anxiety reduction, are no longer options but necessities. Avoid talking down to employees or rejecting mental health accommodations to show your team the respect they deserve and dissuade quiet quitting.

Fix Your Quiet Quitting Problem With Remote HR

One of the easiest ways to obtain these benefits and reduce quiet quitting is to outsource your HR department.

A specialized HR team can offer many pathways to success. For starters, a remote HR company is often less expensive than hiring full-time HR employees in-house. By choosing a remote HR solution, you’ll free up resources to redirect toward employees through better benefits, career development opportunities, or higher salaries.

Likewise, if you or your managers have been busy handling regular HR tasks like recruitment and payroll, a remote HR company can give you the time to be the hands-on supervisor you wish you were. Instead of spending hours a week doing busy work, let a remote HR company handle it and use that time to check in with your employees and develop your team.

By choosing remote HR, you’ll unlock your company's full potential and create a work environment your employees won’t want to quietly quit.

Read More: Should I Outsource Payroll? Yes—and Here’s Why.

Nexus HR: Full-Scale HR For a Fraction of the Cost

Nexus HR is a remote HR leader helping companies motivate their employees and deliver the most professional workplace possible.

Whether you want to reduce your workload for particular services like onboarding and billing or need to outsource your entire HR department, Nexus HR is the best place to find the high-quality, affordable remote HR service you’ve been looking for.

Reach out to our team today to discover how Nexus HR can help you say “goodbye” to quiet quitting for good!