Quiet Quitting in the Hybrid Workplace

Addressing Quiet Quitting in the Hybrid Workplace

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a wave of workers quitting their jobs en masse, a phenomenon now known as the Great Resignation. Recently, however, Quiet Quitting has emerged as a new HR trend, referring to a spike of workers who are not completely quitting their jobs, but working with minimal standards.

While much has been said about the negative impact the hustle work culture has on mental well-being, Quiet Quitting is also a reflection of a toxic work culture where employees feel undervalued, unsupported, and disengaged. Arianna Huffington calls this phenomenon a “collective wake up call” to a much larger, global issue — the epidemic of stress and burnout. While some see Quiet Quitting as a means to leaving the hustle culture for a better work life balance, this behavior 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.”

Job Dissatisfaction: A Global Epidemic

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.

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.

Employee Experience: The Key to Addressing Quiet Quitting

Employee experience (EX) is the sum of all interactions an employee has with their employer, from culture and benefits to the tools provided for success. According to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report, businesses with engaged employees see a 41% reduction in absenteeism and a 17% increase in productivity.

Creating a positive employee experience starts with understanding what employees want. By fostering a culture of open communication, employers can identify the unique needs, goals, and challenges of their employees, and tailor their solutions to meet those needs. Employers can create a positive workplace environment where employees feel valued and supported using Atiom, which leverages human psychology to provide powerful insights on employee performance gaps, engagement levels, and well-being.

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

As work becomes increasingly hybrid, one way to improve employee experience is by digitizing the workplace experience. At Atiom, our Transform360 solution incorporates gamification to engage employees, improve standards, and make employee experiences more meaningful. Through engaging touchpoints, Atiom allows employees feel proud and recognized for their efforts, and provides a quick glance of all that they have accomplished. From work anniversaries to birthdays, you can send a congratulatory message with a blast of confetti to commemorate the special occasions.

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. Prioritizing employee engagement and experience can help prevent Quiet Quitting, improve productivity, and ultimately lead to a better workplace culture. At Atiom, our Transform360 solution is dedicated to elevating employee experience, reducing attrition, and finding issues early before it’s too late. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you drive real behavior change in your frontline teams.

Originally published at https://blog.atiom.app

‍