The COVID-19 pandemic presents the phenomenon of a wave of workers who quit their jobs on a large scale, known as a Great Resignation. Recently, Quiet Quitting has emerged as a new HR trend, referring to a spike of workers who are not completely quit their jobs, but work with very minimal standards.
Much has already been said about the negative impact the hustle work culture has on mental well-being. Arianna Huffington calls Quiet Quitting a “collective wake up call” to a much larger, global issue - the epidemic of stress and burnout. While some use Quiet Quitting as a means to quitting the hustle culture, which could be a positive direction towards a better work life balance, it could also mean just “going through the motions, accepting a lack of engagement, joy, and purpose in work as a long-term solution to burnout.”
Globally, organizations of all sizes are having an increasingly difficult time to engage and retain employees. In Asia, around 52% of Singaporeans surveyed in Randstad’s Workmonitor 2022 study said they would quit if their jobs prevented them from enjoying life, indicating that employees are prioritizing their life experiences over work. 63% of those surveyed in India would rather be unemployed than feel unhappy in their jobs.
A recent Gallup Global Workplace Report found that only 11% of South Asian workers were engaged or enthusiastic about their work. South Asia, whose economy was hit particularly hard in 2021 by COVID-19, dropped 5 percent in well-being in the past year. Many reported that they don’t find their work meaningful, don’t think their lives are going well, or don’t feel hopeful about their future.
Addressing Quiet Quitting in the Workplace
The root causes behind Quiet Quitting can be far and many. A product of toxic work culture, Gallup refers to this phenomenon as “a clear symptom of bad management.” To address this, workplaces must value employee engagement as the key to address the root causes of disengagement, starting from the management level.
Creating effective communication Every organization needs a culture in which people are involved and feel they belong. Managers can foster this environment through effective communication. By knowing employees as individuals — to understand employee’s life situation, strengths, and goals — managers can play a critical role in motivating employees’ performance, increase team collaboration, and help reduce burnout. Workplace performance picks up when employees feel accepted by their work environment, especially by their managers who tend to have more authority than other colleagues.
Digitizing rewards and recognition In the new future of work, having an engaging workplace management system can motivate employees to grow through employee experiences. At Atiom, we see the value of digitizing daily rewards to deliver drive experiences in a hybrid workplace. Through engaging touchpoints, Atiom allows users to feel proud and recognized for their efforts and provide a quick glance of all that they have accomplished.
Employers can engage their teams, improve standards, and make employee experiences more meaningful through Atiom’s gamification. We also provide moments of joy and appreciation for Atiom users. From work anniversaries to birthdays, employees on Atiom will be shown a congratulatory message with a blast of confetti to commemorate the special occasion every year.
On the last note...
The effects of Quiet Quitting can be felt by workplaces globally, but it’s never too late to prevent more employees from becoming actively disengaged. Digitizing employee experience, recognition and achievements can have a big impact on creating a positive hybrid workplace.
