What to Do if Your Employees Are "Quiet Quitting"

On every news feed in the U.S., the term "quiet quitting" is dominating the headlines. But, from the perspective of many employees, it isn't about quitting — it's about "acting your wage" and rejecting employee burnout. 

Employee burnout has become so prevalent that 77% of respondents to a Deloitte survey say they've felt burnt out at their jobs. This new movement isn't employees not wanting to work. In fact, 87% of respondents in the same survey said their job inspires them. So, if it's not laziness, then what is it?

Why Employees Are Quiet Quitting

What is quiet quitting? Quiet quitting is the act of employees refusing to expand their workload beyond their contractual obligations. Extra work? Overtime? Off-hours communication? Those who embrace quiet quitting say "no."

The Deloitte survey goes on to find:

• 91% of employees say unmanageable stress negatively affects their work
• 83% say employee burnout negatively affects their relationships with family and friends
• 64% say they're frequently stressed
• 70% say their employer isn't doing enough to stop or relieve burnout
• 21% say their employer is doing nothing to stop or relieve burnout

With this kind of feedback, it's no wonder employees are taking it upon themselves to set boundaries and ensure their mental and physical well-being isn't compromised by employee burnout — employers who ignore this risk the downfalls of a disengaged staff.

Why You Shouldn’t Penalize Employees if They're Still Getting Their Work Done

You shouldn't penalize employees who complete their work to the highest quality on time for not taking on extra work and burning themselves out — that's where the notion of quiet quitting begins. If employees see that completing projects is only rewarded with more work, they'll slow down to prevent exhaustion. This is one of the warning signs of employee burnout.

Instead, embrace a recognition culture. Companies that make a point of recognizing their employees have a 31% lower turnover rate. Communicate with your employees about morale and their workload and find ways to motivate them by recognizing their hard work and not piling more on top when they do a great job.

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What You Can Do to Help With Employee Burnout

The mental health of your employees will directly affect your company's health and the work it produces, so create a company culture where they can honestly share where they're at, and you can find real solutions.

• Check in: Find a regular time to check in with employees and understand how they feel about their workload and hours, how it's affecting their life outside of work, and what adjustments you can make to alleviate excess stress.
• Promote mental health resources: Many employers offer meditation apps or other services to promote stress relief and mental health, but their employees don't know about them. Promote these services, and offer workshops on mastering work-life balance. A happy and healthy staff is more productive and creative than an overworked one.
• Be flexible: Sometimes, deadlines are deadlines, and you need all hands on deck. But employees don't ask for time off for nothing — it means something to them. And a refreshed employee is more focused while working. Be flexible with PTO and time-off requests; don't approve them only when things are slow.

By following these steps, you'll be able to spot the signs of employee burnout and stop it before it becomes a problem.

A Few Tips for Motivating People Who Might Not Be Doing All Their Work

Ask yourself, why has an employee become demotivated? Perhaps there's no room for growth, so what's the point? Maybe they feel the value they bring to your company isn't commensurate with their compensation. Or maybe they find their work is too rigidly scheduled and are burnt out by the 9-to-5 grind. Here are some ways to motivate employees.

• Be flexible: Again, flexibility goes a long way in combating employee burnout and quiet quitting. If employees need to be flexible with hours to feel motivated to get everything done, give it a try.
• Offer appreciative pay: Employees calculate their value to your company and know when it doesn't match up with their paycheck. When they feel that way, they may think about quiet quitting to rebalance the pay-to-work ratio. Be honest about each employee's value and offer bonuses or bumps in pay for those who bring the most value.
• Let them grow: If an employee desires to grow within your company, map out a path for them. If they work hard and don't see how they'll move forward, employee burnout is a risk, and their productivity may slow. Find ways for your employees to aspire to grow.

Companies that successfully find ways to motivate employees through positive reinforcement rather than punishment often see higher levels of employee retention and continued productivity.

Stop Quiet Quitting

Quiet quitting isn't about laziness — it's about burnout and combating overwork. Find ways to help your employees balance work and life, and you'll avoid the wave of quiet quitters.

For more advice on ways to motivate employees and hire the best for your company, visit iHire's resource center.