Employers respond to #QuietQuitting

Lately, a new workplace issue is receiving loads of media attention. The social media platform TikTok, has spread the word with almost 4 million videos from people sharing their personal insights on "quiet quitting."

The term itself is somewhat misleading. It does not apply to workers who are actually leaving their jobs. Quiet quitters remain gainfully employed but are no longer "giving it their all" on the job. Instead, they've chosen to prioritize their daily lives over work. Employers are rightly concerned in the face of yet another complex challenge.

The term quiet quitting is of Chinese origin where the phrase tang ping or "lying flat" began circulating last year. It's now making its way across the globe fueled primarily by Millennials and Gen Z (who tend to be TikTok's demographic), but also endorsed by people of all ages who reassessed their lives during the pandemic and determined that giving 100% at work was no longer palatable.

For many, the concept isn't new but is akin to "presenteeism" in which employees appear to be working hard but in fact are doing just enough to get by. To strike a healthier work-life balance, employees of all ages are taking a minimalist view of their job description and focusing on family, personal interests, and well-being.

Organizational leaders just learning about the trend are expressing a broad range of reactions, from outrage to empathy. Those who react with anger do so typically because they feel employees are taking advantage of the flexibility afforded to them during the pandemic - or are just plain "slacking off."

Leaders in this camp are considering bringing people back to the office full-time, using monitoring software to track employee productivity, and even taking disciplinary actions or terminating their quiet quitters. While these responses may be justified, none of them will lead to a more engaged workforce or an improved culture.

It's important to note that there is plenty of data to support a drop in employee engagement recently. Surveys by Gallup show that engagement - defined as employees who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace - has declined from 36% in 2020 to 32% this year. And employees who are required to report to a physical workplace on a regular basis have a 29% engagement level compared to 37% for those who work a hybrid or fully remote schedule.

Local data collected by HR Source for the Chicagoland area and aggregated nationwide by the Employer Associations of America is almost identical, indicating a drop from 36% to 32% in the highly engaged group between 2019 and 2022. Interestingly though, the percentage of actively disengaged employees is also on the decline - leaving more employees in the "partially engaged" category, which syncs up with the trend at hand.

Enlightened employers consider #QuitQuitting an important wake-up call and an opportunity to focus on what their employees need and value.

Evolved leaders express empathy for their teams and relate to their employees' desire to align their work and home lives. Finding ways to reduce stress and avoid burnout are vital for all people regardless of job title. Employers who are willing to ask their employees how they can improve and then allocate resources to make changes will reap the benefits of more engaged employees and decreased turnover ... both true exits and quiet quits.

• Mary Lynn Fayoumi is President and CEO of HR Source in Downers Grove.