Is Quiet Quitting Hurting Your Bottom Line?

I first heard this term, "Quiet Quitting" last week, and it seems to have gotten a lot of attention by the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, CNN, and YouTube, among other media sources.

I became curious. What exactly does this mean? As one media show host asked, is this just another term for loafing? My first reaction to Quiet Quitting was Wow! This could be bad for business.

So I read into it, this Quiet Quitting, and here's what I found out.

It's a new buzzword that can be used to describe what, I believe, has been happening in business since businesses were first formed.

Not everyone wants to be climb the ladder of success and sacrifice herself or himself to get to the top. Not everyone wants to hustle by prioritizing work over everything else. But I don't think most employees are just phoning it in either.

I think that there will always be some employees who are not a fit and will not get the job done. Some because they choose not to, and others because they may lack the necessary skills to handle it. If you're on top of things, you should be able to identify the ones who are struggling and the weaker performers.

And there are those who are perfectly happy to do a good job, deliver the results that are expected, and then not take their work home with them. They are okay with not going above and beyond.

Looking Back

When I think back to my career, there were choices I made driven by my desires and the need to be doing work that for me was fulfilling.

Early in my career, my wife and I decided that being close to family was important. Previously, I had secured a job in Texas (1,200 miles from home) before college graduation. Three years later with our new baby, we moved back to the Miami area to be closer to family, and with the move, I decided to join the corporate office of a Fortune 500 company.

It didn't take me long to realize I had made a mistake. I felt my career would end up with fewer opportunities for personal growth. The culture just wasn't a fit.

I worked hard, kept my head down and got the job done. But after about 6 months, I felt compelled to look elsewhere. Ultimately a few months later, I found my way back to my previous employer and still close to family.

In short, I had resigned myself to doing what was necessary but not extraordinary until I found what I was looking for.

The Present and The Future

Today it seems that younger employees have figured out early in their careers what they want most out of their employment.

Some may find more fulfillment in spending more time with family, pursuing a passion outside of work or maybe engaged in a side hustle.

I believe that all of your employees want to feel they are respected, that they have opportunities for growth that include some flexibility and that their values are aligned with your organization's values and culture.

The real question for you as the leader is this: Is the Culture the right fit for everyone in your company? (My guess is probably not). What should you do about it?

First, don't change a thing. The first step is to be laser focused and clear in defining your culture.

What matters most to you and your colleagues? What sets you/them apart? What are the values that are most important? What do you believe?

So clarify your culture, define it and then share it with everyone within the organization.

Next, the heavy lifting begins. I call it heavy lifting because it is vitally important that you don't take anything for granted or lose your focus. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate.

Remember, communication is a two-way street and your ability to listen is crucial to building an organization that embodies respect.

Some Further Thoughts

Make sure that your words are not just lip service. "Walk the Talk" as they say. Your actions need to be aligned with what you and they believe are the most important values to the organization.

If they're not, guess what? Everyone in the organization will know. Given enough time others will see that these values aren't all that important based on what they observe.

That's when trust in the organization begins to wane and erode. And once trust is called into question, it's much harder to earn it back.

Is #QuietQuitting hurting the bottom line? Most likely it's not. But a #culture that lacks clarity, where #respect is not cherished and where #trust is eroding most certainly will.

With all said, people are people with different likes, dislikes, concerns, dreams and values. I recommend that you and your leadership team spend some time with them one-to-one and get to know them better.

Until Next Time