Why Quiet Quitting Is Such a Drag

The People Impact Podcast

This is what makes Quiet Quitting such a drag.

People that Quietly Quit can become a huge slower-down of the change that you need in the current environment. A roadblock to collaboration, creativity, innovation and any forward momentum.

But Quiet Quitting is not the problem. It points to something else that is the actual problem. Let us give you a fair perspective on quiet quitting.

Why are people Quiet Quitting and why does that make sense, from their perspective?

“Going above and beyond just ain’t worth it anymore in this space and time.

No matter how much I do, how much effort I put in, either the effort isn’t going to matter, or I am not going to feel like I matter.

My efforts are not going to be seen, heard or valued.

So, you know what? I’ll do what’s required of me. But I’m going to stop coming up with funky ideas, trying to ask the hard questions, challenge the status quo.

I’ll turn up every day, do what I need to do, meet the minimum requirements, and that’s it.”

From your individual perspective: priorities are a key piece here. There is so much going on in our lives. How do you pace yourself when you’re spending a lot of energy but getting little in return? Intentionally choose how engaged you want to be.

From an organisational perspective: some organisations have painted themselves into a corner. How is your organisation’s setup (unintentionally) designed for quiet quitting, with structures that result in employees getting stuck? Take employee perspectives seriously and use that information to find out what the actual problem is.

“I’m being told this is my station in life, so why in the world would I want to try and go above and beyond? Why would I want to be part of a creative problem-solving process?” The cost of that is massive. Especially in a knowledge economy it’s important to have people engaged in the workplace. Disengagement has become more problematic and it has become more evident through the pandemic.

You end up with people who are married to the status quo in an organisation that has created rigidity.

🔍 So, talk about whether the current setup of structures is still serving you.

💡 And let go of the expectation that everyone needs to go above and beyond 100% of the time.

Referenced:

• “There are no verifiable sources as to who coined the phrase Quiet Quitting” says Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work-to-rule
• The ‘Good Enough job’ from Emilie Wapnick’s book ‘How To Be Everything’ http://howtobeeverything.com/

More about us:

Lisa Dempsey – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakdempsey/ - https://www.leadershiplabs.eu

Marjolijn Vlug – https://www.linkedin.com/in/marjolijnvlug/ - https://www.marjolijnvlug.nl/?lang=en

Reach us both at [e-mail]