At a Glance
Quiet quitting, a new organisational behaviour trend for an old phenomenon where employees fulfil their job responsibilities, but at a minimal level, can lead to declining productivity.
Effective leadership such as the humble leadership approach can help manage this phenomenon.
To eliminate quiet quitting, it is essential to foster shared visions, goals, and motivations among employees and organisations.
People spend a significant amount of their time at work. It is, therefore, important to foster positive relationships and behaviours that promote a harmonious working environment. Keeping employees motivated and engaged is critical for a well-functioning organisation. Â
However, the onset of Industry 4.0, the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing geopolitical shifts have created a turbulent period for many organisations. One emerging trend from this period is quiet quitting, where employees disengage from their work without formally resigning. Â
The impact of quiet quitting Â
Quiet quitting is a new organisational behaviour trend for an old phenomenon, describing how employees continue to fulfil their job responsibilities, but at a minimal level. Some of the negative behaviours observed include chronic tardiness, avoidance of meetings, social isolation, and excessive leave. These behaviours indicate low levels of motivation and commitment to work. Â
A primary concern with quiet quitting is declining productivity. Productivity measures how many products, services or tasks can be produced or completed in a given period of time. Reduced output can slow down workflows, delay project deadlines, and increase operating costs to keep up with the previous baseline performance. Â
Due to these factors, declining productivity because of quiet quitting is a serious risk factor for organisations. Another critical risk in the business is the low or poor quality of work. Â
Read more here about the concept of Overall Labour Effectiveness (OLE) as the key to unlocking workforce potential and improving productivity.
How to close the leadership skills gap for organisational effectiveness
How to close the leadership skills gap for organisational effectiveness
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How to manage quiet quitting?
The concept of quiet quitting, which gained prominence during the pandemic, stemming from feelings of burnout, a lack of recognition, or longer working hours, can have an impact on organisational productivity and employee morale.
Improve leadership skills
Effective leadership can help manage this phenomenon in an organisation. For example, a humble leadership approach can foster a positive working environment where people feel valued and supported.
Studies have shown that middle managers may be particularly affected by quiet quitting particularly during the pandemic. Caught between senior management and employees, these middle managers were overburdened with responsibilities.
This can be prevented by providing them with professional development and leadership training, as giving them the necessary skills and support can help them to lead their teams more effectively.
Adapting to change for organisational vigour
Post-pandemic, organisations need to adapt to change and maintain a motivated and engaged workforce. To successfully navigate the challenges, it is important for organisations to understand the current and future drivers of organisational vigour.
To combat quiet quitting and foster organisational vigour, leaders and/or organisations need to recognise and treat employees as individuals with unique strengths and aspirations. It is also important to identify the factors that contribute to high employee engagement and productivity.
Possible solutions to combat quiet quitting
Quiet quitting can have detrimental effects on businesses and organisations. If left unchecked, it can lead to decreased productivity, diminished motivation, increased absenteeism and a decline in the quality of work.
To eliminate quiet quitting, it is essential to foster shared visions, goals, and motivations among employees and organisations. This is the way to build adaptive capacity in a sustainable way.
By aligning individual and organisational goals, it leads to a more engaged and motivated workforce, resulting in innovation and improved performance. Effective change models and/or methodologies should be applied, and communication is critical to improve engagement.
Implementing appropriate change management strategies can also help minimise resistance and maximise employee buy-in. Addressing quiet quitting can significantly improve an organisation’s competitiveness, agility, and ability to deliver value to customers. By improving organisational effectiveness, companies can ensure long-term success.
Renoir has helped companies achieve greater organisational effectiveness through different methodologies, including operating model design, organisational structure development, leadership coaching and management best practices.
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