be mindful of workload

In a culture that glorifies overwork and long hours, employees often find themselves trapped in a relentless cycle of striving to meet unrealistic demands. This negative cycle will exhaust your employees, ultimately leading to disengagement and burnout. Employees may use quiet quitting as a way to protect themselves from burning out.

To address this issue, you should openly communicate with your employees about their workload, set realistic expectations, and encourage a healthy work-life balance.

Bare in mind, quiet quitting will also increase the workload of the rest of the team. When one person isn’t pulling their weight, the rest of the team needs to pick up the slack. This can impact team morale and output, increasing disengagement and reducing overall effectiveness.

Did you know: According to our global research, employees recognise a healthy work-life balance as being the second most important driver when looking for a new role.

As a manager, you should be mindful that your behaviour sets the expectation and tone for the office; If you work all hours of the day, your employees may feel they expect that of you. Encourage your employees to be mindful of their limits, and if you notice someone works late every single day - check in and ask why.

communication is key

Communication works both ways with your employees. For example:

your communication with your team

You should make an effort to communicate with your team every day. Schedule time to check in with your employees to discuss their wellbeing, workload, and personal lives if you have that kind of relationship.

These daily interactions don't have to be lengthy; even a brief chat can go a long way in building connections and demonstrating your genuine interest in their welfare.

It is especially important to keep in regular contact with employees who work hybrid or remote models. As you won’t see these employees on a day-to-day basis, regularly checking in will bridge the gap and encourage a feeling of belonging.

how your team communicates with you

Be visible and accessible to your team so they can bring up any issues they have. Be open, honest, and proactively address any issues your team raises. For example, if they raise any factors that contribute to overworking and burnout, you should seek to fix those matters immediately.

use exit interviews

Exit interviews help you understand the reasons for why your employees are leaving. They serve as a valuable feedback mechanism, providing insights into the employee experience, company culture, and potential areas for improvement within your organisation.

During an exit interview, departing employees have the opportunity to candidly share their thoughts, concerns, and feedback about their time with the company. If your team expresses feeling disengaged with the business, they may have been underperforming while looking for a new job. If this is a theme with a lot of your leavers, you may need to address the quiet quitting issue.

consider their salary

It's no secret that salary is a fundamental consideration when individuals choose an employer. In fact, it consistently ranks as the number one reason why talent decides to join or leave a company. So, it's essential to recognise the connection between salary and the rising trend of quiet quitting.

If your employees are not being properly compensated for their time, they may be more likely to quiet quit. You can prevent this by ensuring employees are fairly compensated for their time, as well as encouraging a healthy work-life balance.

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