When we are faced with quiet quitting: 7 actions to take now to focus on engagement

I have to say that I am fascinated by this new theme of quiet quitting. I have come to understand this concept took hold after a TikTok video talking about not leaving your job but doing the bare minimum to ensure you are not burning out.

I am from a generation who hustles, who is committed, who admittedly is terrible at setting boundaries, and who may put too much stock into titles and salaries as a way to measure success.

I am all for new ways of thinking and framing our "work" to ensure we don't burn out, we aren't chained to our desks and smartphones for work, and we feel good about our actions.

This is my question about quiet quitting…..how happy does this make someone? Gallup did a survey in 2015 that I admired and grabbed onto their results. The number one thing people desire regardless of age, demographic, or geographic region is "a good job." This was seven years ago, which feels like a lifetime as the world looks so different. What Gallup finds today is perhaps a more meaningful interpretation of their 2015 finding …. People want purpose.

My concern about quiet quitting is the long-term impact of this. If people need a break, then take one. Organizations should help people take a break. The problem with doing the bare minimum and going through the motions for a paycheck is this gets old in a hurry. While our job should not be the center of our life, it is important. And any crucial facets of our life must align with our values and contribute to our sense of fulfillment. I question if you truly get this from punching a clock.

How will we compete, be innovative, and reimagine work and our communities if we do the bare minimum in a global economy? I am not sure I know of any significant success that resulted from doing the basics.

I get why this is a theme today. We are all exhausted. We are burnt to the point of crispy. But, I genuinely think this is the wrong direction for us to head down. Some of my favorite bloggers recently posted about this topic: Arianna Huffington and Adam Grant.

I concur with them that the fact this concept is out there is a failure of leadership and systems we allow to continue without a severe change. If people feel they can barely do their job to find balance, we are way out of balance.

I have been caught in that hamster wheel of 10 pm emails, weekend work, and stress for no reason. I have seen this waning in my later years as I move to set boundaries, but I still am committed to my role and what I am hired to accomplish.

This is a challenging situation we are in. No training about how to be resilient or manage stress will cut it. We need a drastic reform of work and our relationship with work. For those who love that quote: "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life." I'm afraid I have to disagree. Work is work; it takes our time, effort, brain power, and physical hands and uses our energy. If you are aligned in your values and purpose, then you get something out of it. But, make no mistake, it is still work.

While we figure out how to revolutionize what we do and how we are doing it, here are some things we can try to make an impact on. 

1. Experiment with Time.

I applaud organizations out there trying out 4-day work weeks, establishing wellness and volunteer days, instituting sabbaticals, and requiring no emails after a particular time. Trying out various ways to set boundaries and give people breaks will help with our burnout problem.

2. Show you Care.

You did read this correctly. Back to one of my favorite authors Adam Grant, he states in so many words that if you don't care about your employees, how can you expect them to care about their jobs? If people are moving toward quiet quitting, they are not only burnt out, but they probably don't care too much. Demonstrate you care through listening, getting people involved in decision-making, and supporting their boundaries and needs for balance.

3. Set Boundaries.

As leaders, we should focus on helping people set boundaries. I also encourage employees to set boundaries for themselves and communicate what they are. We don't always have conversations about our lives, needs, and how we can work. Beyond the day-to-day work we are engaged in, we need to talk about how we work. I still cut the cord at 4 pm when I work from home to exercise. I started this back in March 2020, and I continue this today. Now, I start work between 6-7 am to do this. Those are the boundaries that work for me and they also align with the work hours needed from me for my job. Others can be more flexible based on the needs of the job. The point is to have a conversation.

4. Be Clear on Roles and Responsibilities.

Nothing is more frustrating than not knowing what you are supposed to do and what others around you do to ensure we work together effectively. As I pointed out last week, we don't do enough to clarify roles and responsibilities in almost everything we do. Of course, we must leave room for flexibility, growth, and creativity. But we need general guidelines as duplicating work, stepping on toes, or missing hand-offs can lead to significant stress and frustration and lead to someone checking out.

5. Communicate Frequently.

Along with clarity is the need for internal communications. Being in Talent Management, I feel this is a great time to be in the business of developing and growing people. I also think it is a wonderful time to be in employee communications. Hearing from the top managers and peers about the organization and understanding how you connect to this organization is key for establishing a connection. Connection should be refreshing, not stressful. It should energize people to do a great job.

6. Ask for Input.

People need to have a voice in certain areas that impact them. Leaders may make certain decisions that may not be popular, but they need to explain why with some detail to help with acceptance. When we ask for input, we should be clear on how their input will be used and be cautious not to overpromise what can be delivered. Of course, one of the worst things to do is ask and not circle back. So, even if the decision went a different direction, communicate with those you asked for their opinion.

7. Help with Purpose.

A more fuzzy area for some is to help people find and connect with their purpose. I have written many times about self-discovery. Organizations should help people learn about the four cornerstones of their career: Values, Strengths, Energy, and Belief. For more information on how to do this, pick up my book: Succeed from the Middle. Providing space and opportunities to honestly think about what matters to people and helping align at least part of what they do to these areas will help spark a connection, belonging, and, hopefully, engagement.

Quiet quitting is not a long-term solution. We need to address the root cause here…the absence of boundaries, caring, purpose, clarity, and communication. While this problem is more complex than what I have laid out, taking action in these spaces could have a more significant impact than we think.

Let's flip this conversation to focus on maximizing our time within the boundaries we set together and not on minimizing our time to create the boundaries in the first place.