8 Ways Managers Can Prevent Quiet Quitting

Whenever we are unhappy at our job, for whatever reason, we begin to disengage. We do the bare minimum of what our job requires and this can eventually lead to leaving altogether. This is known as quiet quitting.

Quiet quitting has always been a problem in the workplace for decades, it is just an old problem with a new name.

And recently, it is becoming a growing problem in the American workforce today.

What Managers Should Know About Quiet Quitting

The alarming trend of quiet quitting is becoming a problematic epidemic in the workplace. But it’s not coming out of the left field, there are reasons why people quiet quit their job. They basically come down to bad communication and bad management.

While you cannot stop quiet quitting, there are things you can do to mitigate it.

Realize that organizations, especially larger ones, are going to attract a variety of people from a plethora of backgrounds, social standings, financial brackets, and education levels.

Although you cannot possibly make everyone happy. But you can make changes to your management style to allow greater work satisfaction for your team, which encourages engagement at work.

So, understand that it will take teamwork and group effort in order for any attempt to be successful. Consider the following steps below to combat quiet quitting. Then, devise your own plan of action based on how much you can influence policy at work and how comfortable you are doing so amid your circumstances.

How To Prevent Quiet Quitting

Those who engage in quiet quitting often display displeasure at work. They do not hold any commitment to their job or have any desire to see the organization grow. Quiet quitters do the bare minimum of their job description and many times there are complaints against them by other employees and customers/clients.

Whether you’re an employee or hold a supervisor position, this article will discuss the few best ways to prevent quitting.

These will include creating a culture of camaraderie, being clear with communication, ensuring superiors communicate well, having employees evaluate managers, using a reward system, and providing adequate compensation, among others.

1. Create a Culture of Camaraderie

The best way to engage employees and coworkers alike is by creating a culture of camaraderie. This means treating everyone equally and avoiding outright displays of favoritism. It doesn’t mean that people can’t be friends with specific people or that you should admonish people who gel well together.

What it means is that everyone in your workspace is a human being, complete with their own wonderful traits and less-than-desirable faults. When you go to work with such a mentality, anyone who’s having a bad day will be much easier to deal with. It’s about coming from a place of compassion.

2. Be Clearly Concise with Expectations, Explanations; Boundaries

While you do want to take the thoughts, feelings, and modes of being with each employee into consideration, you are there to work. Hence, you must be clear and simple with expectations, explanations, instructions, and boundaries.

As a general rule, if you cannot express what you require in one or two sentences, communication breakdown will be easy.

This will be particularly true if you have many on staff who are between the ages of 18 to 25. Employees in this age range are easily put off, especially at the slightest provocation against who they are as people.

3. Get to Know Everyone as Individuals

It’s imperative to get to know every individual for the human beings they are, not just as coworkers. Understand their preferences, aversions, and even their favorite color.

But do not gather information as a means to have ammunition against them down the road.

This is a toxic activity that will only foster additional quiet quitting.

4. Ensure Superiors Are Excellent Communicators

The biggest red flag in regard to the phenomenon of quiet quitting is the ripple effect of management. Managers, supervisors, and even CEOs must be excellent communicators and set a good example of how an employee should conduct him/herself.

This is the best way to mitigate the alarming behavior of quiet quitting.

When anyone in a position of authority criticizes, belittles, and/or acts negatively toward subordinates in any way, there are going to be a great number of people who will become quiet quitters. This treatment results in burnout due to their lack of seeing their employees’ value.

Several studies suggest creating healthy habits such as having manager meetings each week for each employee can do wonders against quiet quitting. These don’t have to be long-winded ordeals all on the same day. Just 15 to 30 minutes spread throughout the week with various individuals.

5. Have Employees Evaluate Managers

Along with having regular employee reviews and meetings, employees should also have a similar opportunity. Let staff grade and review their management team in a similar manner. It will build up a sense of equality and keep everyone doing their best.

You could devise a form that contains the following questions:

• Accountability: How well does the manager hold people accountable for their mistakes and performance? Are they cruel, understanding, condescending, or kind?
• Atmosphere: Does the manager create an atmosphere that’s welcoming, open, and trustworthy? Do employees feel comfortable saying what’s on their minds?
• Autonomy: Does the manager micromanage employees or do they give them a wide girth of autonomy? Does the manager delegate tasks appropriate to the skills and knowledge of each individual?
• Care: Does the manager genuine about their job and sees their employees as human beings?
• Communication: How well does the manager communicate the goals and strategy of the organization as a whole? Do they explain things in simple terms that encourage confidence about the future? Does the manager listen AND hear what employees have to say?
• Feedback: Does the manager provide constructive criticism and/or useful feedback? Do their efforts in this regard help or hinder employee performance?
• Honesty: Is the manager trustworthy, honest and forthright? Do they keep their promises and commitments?
• Meetings: When the manager sets up a meeting, is it productive? Do they use company time efficiently? Do they meet individually with employees?
• Recognition: Does the manager give credit where it’s due? Do they show recognition and/or appreciation for a job well done?

6. Use a Reward System

For those managers and employees who display true engagement and do their best for the organization, devise a reward system. Offer additional vacation days off, a gift card, or some other token of appreciation for their hard work. Even employees can pool their resources to show their managers how much they value them.

When others recognize the hard work and heroic efforts of someone who truly puts in their all, that person will do even better. Everyone in the organization can benefit from this, regardless of their position.

One of the biggest reasons why quiet quitting sets in with people is because they feel underappreciated.

For the sake of example, let’s say there’s a new coworker who shows excitement and aptitude for the job but they slowly show disdain over time. Chances are, this person feels overwhelmed by the job with a growing resentment for being taken for granted they experience on the regular.

7. Ensure Employees Receive a Proper Wage

Even if you do every step mentioned so far, it will all be for naught if they don’t have a living wage. While this may be easier to say than do, it’s an essential component for stopping the act of quiet quitting. If you really want to make your customers/clients happy, you must also make your employees happy.

While a positive and comfortable atmosphere in the workplace is very important, pay that is equivalent to labor is imperative. If you’re reading this and are in a position to give raises or adjust employee payouts, then it might be a good idea to reconfigure the budget (if at all possible).

Meeting the average salary that you should be paying for the industry is just as important.

In the event, it is not possible but you know your employees love coming to work, be clear in your explanations and expectations. When they have a frame of reference to follow, it will help the company or organization grow in ways that will foster better pay in the future.

8. Be an Example of the Change You Want to See

Regardless of you’re management, the owner, or an employee, you can set an example for the change you want to see at work. If you can clearly identify the problem, then you can adjust your attitude and behavior to counteract the issue. While your intensity of this will depend on how high your position is in the organization, there are things everyone can do.

Obviously, managers, supervisors, and CEOs are better poised in leadership roles. However, if you’re an underling, you can shift your behavior and the energy you project to coworkers in general.

For instance, if there is one person in your office who ruffles everyone’s feathers before the first cup of coffee, becomes a wall. Just stare at them without emotion and be aloof. Don’t respond and don’t let them get under your skin. Soon enough, everyone will see what you’re doing and it may even stop the toxicity altogether.

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