When employees feel burned out and unconnected to the work they’re doing, quiet quitting becomes a real thing.
What is quiet quitting?
The term quiet quitting refers to when an employee purposefully only completes their work within the allotted hours given to them and only within the duties outlined in their job description. Employees don’t go above and beyond to do more than what’s expected of them. In essence, the phrase – made popular by Tiktok trends – refers to the expectation that employees should do more than they’re paid for, and if they don’t, they are considered to be “quiet quitting” their job.
Managers in any industry, even manufacturing, shouldn’t be labeling their tired employees as “quitters.”
As outlined by an article in The Guardian, people are working hard to recapture their lives after being hit by a pandemic, economic downturn, and the “decimation of our civil liberties and the slow collapse of democracy.”
What is happening, says the article, “is that tired, overworked, burnt-out working-class people are taking back their agency and refusing jobs and working conditions that are unsuitable for them.”
3 out of 5 workers feel a negative impact from work-related stress.
No doubt a real thing after the previous three years, 79% of people experience work-related stress. Stress and burnout are two of the biggest workplace risks.
There’s a common misconception that if employees just “push through” their workload, they will be able to cope better. The truth is that stress and burnout are symptoms of underlying problems. If they go unchecked, they can lead to poor performance and even job loss.
So, how can you help? In short, by taking the time to address the root causes of stress and burnout. This means taking care of yourself as managers and addressing any personal issues that may be contributing to your stress. It also means giving employees the support they need.
How to limit stress in the workplace
Employers often will think to provide a space for employees to destress, such as a break room, lounge area or even by providing a healthy and nutritious lunch. But removing stress from the work floor is going to take much more creative thinking on your part.
Employers should think about offering their employees flexible work hours, which would allow them to better manage their workloads and time commitments. Another way is by providing regular feedback on the company’s goals and objectives so that employees can have a clear understanding of what they need to do in order for the company to be successful.
