A term that has gained a lot of popularity on the internet and is a problem many organizations are experiencing due to a post-pandemic reality.
The Covid-19 pandemic turned the world upside down, and not just in the healthcare sector. Such a global near-death experience forced us to question our existence and purpose. What am I doing with my life? What does it mean to work? The pandemic made us evaluate our values and drastically changed how we relate to the world and our work.
Quiet Quitting is a term that has gained a lot of popularity on the internet and is a problem many organizations are experiencing due to a post-pandemic reality. To be clear, this isn’t the same as typical turnover. Quiet Quitting refers to performing according to your job description and salary. One article sums it up pretty well:
“It’s about giving up the idea of delivering more than you need to, going above and beyond, and turning your work into the centerpiece of your life.”
Some people think it’s a term the corporate world uses to discredit the demand for fairer wages. For others, it’s a philosophy of “minimum wage, minimum effort,” while for some, it’s simply finding more “work-life-balance.” And although the discussion is still ongoing, what it’s clear is that this phenomenon is relevant for a simple reason: many people feel identified.
Besides the obvious ones like paying a fair wage and offering better benefits, we've identified four best practices for companies to adopt if they want to avoid Quiet Quitting, retain and attract new talent.
A healthy work culture has never been as important as it is now. Employees have more leverage on the quality of jobs than ever before; they are no longer willing to accept a job that offers no benefits, has a toxic work culture, does not encourage psychological safety at work and where communication is tricky. This means companies need to see this opportunity and spearhead the change.
A report found that 50% of employees have experienced Quiet Quitting behavior at work – either with their peers or with themselves. At the same time, a recent market trend report published by Indeed and Glassdoors found that companies that don't create an attractive work culture will have trouble attracting and retaining employees and minimizing quiet quitting.
But what does this exactly entail? For employees, this means they hold more leveraging power, due to aging populations, especially among developed economies, and with millennials, gen z, and upcoming generations making up the future labor market.
On the other hand, employers need to step up their game by transforming their organization into one that prioritizes the well-being of employees. Suppose companies want to attract, retain, and avoid employee dissatisfaction. In that case, they need to create healthy work cultures, offer fair benefits and pay, prioritize mental health, create psychological safety spaces, and put diversity, equity, and inclusion at the forefront.
Another Indeed 2022 well-being report found that 46% of respondents said their expectations about well-being at work have increased in the last year. Similarly, 86% of respondents state that how they feel at work affects how they feel at home. These statistics highlight the importance of prioritizing a healthy work culture that incentivizes psychological safety.
Spaces of psychological safety are essential for employee engagement because it allows employees to feel comfortable being honest with their leaders and peers about what works well in the workplace and what doesn't. It will enable people to voice their concerns if they are overworked and to set healthy boundaries.
Managers play a crucial role in fostering these safe spaces and encouraging employees to speak and reach out. Here are some tips for managers to encourage spaces of psychological safety at work:
Communication is one of the most important duties when you're a manager. It's key to detecting and reducing disengagement and burnout at work. Communication isn't just about talking; it's also about listening to what people say and not say; it's ensuring everyone feels safe enough to share their thoughts with you.
Trust building is crucial when trying to enhance and improve vulnerable and transparent communication techniques at work. It is built when managers know their employees' needs and can listen, respond and act on them.
Managers can build trust by:
Another major reason why people decide to embrace Quiet Quitting is that they want to have more work-life balance. Experiencing a global pandemic shook the grounds and made many reevaluate their lives. Luckily, it brought along something that we would have never imagined otherwise: working remotely.
Remote work is the perfect example of how we can use failure to impulse innovation, something we swear by here at Fuckup Nights. Alternative and flexible work modalities offer a solution for those seeking greater work-life balance. Employers need to accept this to stand out and become more attractive to potential employees.
For instance, a 2023 market trends report found that among those aged between 25 to 51, 26% reported they are looking for a remote job, with women having a higher preference for this.
It's time for companies to see this shift in societal values and harness it as an opportunity for sustainable growth that will benefit everyone in the long run..
Going forward...
Massive and silent resignations are only symptoms of a capitalist system that does not see the profit in increasing employee well-being by creating a healthy work culture. We are here to show you that a work culture that fosters transparency, vulnerability, and difficult conversations is a culture that is ready to face any crisis, retain members in unprecedented times and have engaged employees.
Besides unfair financial compensation, most issues that cause discontent are strongly related to poor corporate cultures that don’t provide spaces of psychological safety to be transparent, innovate and have those difficult conversations.
At Fuckup Nights, we have heard many failure stories related to these dehumanized workspaces; this led us to develop a program to manage failure and create healthier and more thriving work environments.
The Failure Program diagnoses the perceptions of employees towards failure and their existing work culture through a thoughtfully data-based survey. The program also offers a series of courses to renew organizational cultures by tackling key topics such as how to have difficult conversations, create safe spaces, and how to turn failure into innovation.
Just fill out this form, and let's work together to use failure in your advantage!
Editado por
.svg)
Transformemos nuestra percepción del fracaso y utilicémoslo como catalizador del crecimiento.
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
