According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2023 Report, the majority of the world’s employees are “quiet quitting,” meaning they’re putting in the minimum effort required, they’re psychologically disconnected, and they’re more likely to feel stressed and burnt out.
And while it’s undeniably difficult to reengage these workers, doing so presents a massive opportunity to increase productivity and drive greater economic growth. Gallup estimates that low engagement costs the global economy $8.8 trillion annually, and that the quiet quitters on your team are just waiting for a leader to connect with them, encourage them, and inspire them. That’s where you come in.
As a leader, you have the power to truly impact the way your employees feel at work. In fact, according to Gallup, a manager impacts 70% of the variance in team engagement, which means that what you do truly makes a big difference.
So, how can you reengage the quiet quitters on your team?
A Work OS can help you keep the entire team engaged and on track.
6 tips for navigating quiet quitters
1. Be observant
As a leader, it’s important that you really pay attention to the behaviors, attitudes, and performances of each of your employees. If you notice a change in an employee’s behavior or feel they’re pulling back from their work, take note. Then, try to put that shift or disconnect into words that you can later reference in a conversation.
Ask yourself questions like:
- When did I start noticing a change?
- What seems to be different?
- Has this happened before?
- What have I tried so far?
- Does anything seem to help?
If relevant, chat with other people who may oversee the team members’ work to find out if they’ve noticed anything out of the ordinary as well.
2. Have open and honest conversations
Set up a one-on-one meeting with employees you suspect may be quiet quitting to check in. Create space for them to feel safe expressing what’s going on and what’s on their minds.
Ask open-ended questions to encourage them to honestly share, such as:
- How are you feeling about your work and the projects you’re involved in right now?
- How would you describe your motivation and enthusiasm for your work recently?
- Have there been any changes in your work environment or team dynamics that are impacting your engagement?
- How do you feel about your workload and work-life balance?
- Do you feel like you have enough opportunities for growth and development?
- Do you feel that your skills and strengths are fully utilized in your current role?
- Is there anything specific that I could do to better support you?
These kinds of questions can really open the door to honest feedback, help you identify what may be triggering the quiet quitting, and signal to your employee that you’re committed to ensuring they have a positive work experience.
3. Personalize solutions
Once you understand what’s triggering the quiet quitting, sit down with your team members to discuss tangible solutions. Remember that each employee may have unique circumstances contributing to their quiet quitting, so a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t the answer. You need to tailor solutions to fit each employee’s needs and situation.
For example, if you find that disengagement is the result of an overwhelming workload, sit down with the team member to discuss how they can set effective boundaries. Go over all of their responsibilities, prioritize their tasks, and identify projects that can be delegated to others, if possible.
On the other hand, if you find the quiet quitting relates to your employee’s desire to improve their work-life balance, be clear that you care about your employees’ well-being. Highlight the importance of taking time off and unplugging at the end of the work-day, and emphasize that working long hours isn’t what it takes to be successful on your team – what matters most is the quality of the work your employees deliver.
4. Set clear expectations
Sometimes, quiet quitting is the result of a lack of perceived growth opportunities, so be proactive and do your best to set clear benchmarks for your team about what it takes to get promoted to a more senior position. Outline key milestones to reach, establish quantitative KPIs, and define the kinds of contributions that are expected in order to take that next step. Remember that people talk, so it’s essential to remain consistent in the expectations you set and to create a clear standard for growth so that there’s a cross-team sense that processes are straightforward and logical.
5. Recognize and celebrate achievements
One of the greatest ways to drive greater engagement is to really recognize your team members for their positive contributions and impact. Recent research by Quantum Workplace found that more than half of employees want more recognition from their immediate manager and that when employees believe they will be recognized, they are 2.7x more likely to be highly engaged. And it makes sense: when employees receive recognition for the work they do, it signals a level of job mastery and helps them feel seen.
So, do your best to frequently give genuine and specific credit to your team members when they do something great. Address the behaviors, challenges, and benefits of their actions. For example, you can say something like, “I know there were a lot of people weighing in on this project, so great work balancing it all and making sure it reached the finish line in time. You set a great example for other team members on how to navigate these challenges.”
6. Follow up
Regardless of the reason for the quiet quitting, work with your team members to identify potential solutions together. Then, be sure to follow up. Pay attention to whether you’ve seen any changes in their behavior or energy since you started making changes. Similarly, during one-on-one meetings, openly check in and ask them how things are going. Emphasize that you’re committed to building a positive, healthy, and meaningful experience for them at work and that you always want them to feel comfortable coming to you when something needs to be addressed.
Keep your team engaged and on track
Sometimes, disengagement simply stems from feeling lost or overwhelmed at work. With work management software, your team will always understand what’s expected from them and when — including how that individual work helps you hit big-picture goals. Get in touch with our team of experts today to learn more.