What Is Quiet Quitting and How Is It Different From the Great Resignation?

It used to be that you could add extra duties to your most loyal workers and they would just put up with it since they didn’t have many other options. But there’s a new workplace trend that’s making waves, and it might be putting your business at risk of low productivity and losing your best professionals. It’s called quiet quitting and it’s much different from the Great Resignation.

If you’re not aware of it, you should be. Silent professionals don’t necessarily mean happy professionals. You could argue that team members who let you know their concerns are easier to address because they care enough to bring their issues to your attention. But what if you don’t know? What if you have a great team member who says nothing but is unhappy, burnt out, and disgruntled? Then, next thing you know, they’re out the door.

Our executive recruiters are seeing quiet quitting more than ever lately because professionals are being tasked with additional work and responsibilities without the additional compensation or much-needed support.

Here are the signs of quiet quitting and how it’s different from the Great Resignation:

What Is the Great Resignation?

What began during the pandemic has carried over into the post-pandemic work environment. Employers have been faced with an enormous challenge: employees quitting. It’s called the Great Resignation. According to statistics, more than 47 million individuals resigned from their jobs in 2021 for various reasons. Another survey found that 40% of U.S. employees want to quit their jobs.

This sudden trend of workers leaving their jobs reached its peak during the pandemic. And by the looks of it, the trend isn’t dying down soon. Employees still hope to have fulfilling careers, be compensated fairly, and be provided with a healthy working environment. The lack of one or more of these components compels them to switch jobs or embrace temporary unemployment as they prioritize their physical, mental, and financial well-being over what their current organization has to offer. Needless to say, the ongoing trend of resigning from jobs has led to worker shortages, decreased productivity, and unfulfilled goals at organizations across the country.

What Is Quiet Quitting?

If the Great Resignation wasn’t worrisome enough, employers now also need to watch out for the new trend of quiet quitting. The term gained popularity via TikTok and Twitter as people put up explainer videos sharing how they can step back from the hustle culture without actually submitting a resignation letter. Essentially, quiet quitting is a practice adopted by employees who aren’t quite getting what they need from their jobs. It’s their way of silently withdrawing from the organization and disengaging from nonessential tasks and activities, giving their bare minimum to the job.

Employees who practice quiet quitting aren’t bad at what they do. They just no longer wish to go above and beyond for their company or do anything other than what they’re supposed to do. This can happen due to poor company policies, unfulfilling tasks, lack of professional growth, burnout, and unfair compensation. For instance, an employee practicing quiet quitting would no longer participate in company events or willingly put in extra hours. They’ll accomplish their tasks as usual without making any additional effort to take on extra duties.

Why Quiet Quitting Is a Threat to Your Business

Organizations seek out employees who are focused, motivated, and enthusiastic. Your company’s productivity and culture depend on people who actively participate in moving the business forward while contributing to its positive environment. Naturally, if your employees are unhappy or disengaged at work, there will be a dip in productivity. You may still meet your monthly targets, but you may notice a sense of demotivation and disengagement, which can negatively affect your company culture. Not to mention, quiet quitting is just a step away from actual quitting.

Fairness aside, if each worker, on average, gets less accomplished each week, then the company will either have to get by with less productivity or hire more people to do the same work. In either case, the owners or investors are getting a lower return on their investment. What do they do? They go out of business, shrink the business, shift their investments elsewhere, and eliminate jobs in the process. So as the jobs disappear, the “quiet quitters” will end up as “quietly fired”!

At Brookwoods Group, we understand the effects of both quiet quitting and the Great Resignation when it comes to how it affects your organization. By hiring the right leaders and professionals with the right qualifications and cultural fit for critical roles, you can keep your team motivated and engaged. Our staffing firm houston can help you find the best talent for your company.

Contact our Marketing headhunters san antonio today to find the right talent now.