Over the past few years, the Quiet Quitting, or “silent resignation” is a new phenomenon that scares businesses. Accentuated by the Covid-19 pandemic, it concerns employees who do not quit their jobs, but do the bare minimum to stay at their posts, without killing themselves at work.
So where does this new practice come from? What are the consequences for fans of Quiet Quitting ? And how can businesses prevent it, in particular through vocational training ? You'll know everything in this comprehensive guide!
Quiet Quitting: What is “quiet resignation” at work?
The origin of quiet quitting in the United States
The Quiet Quitting takes root in the United States, and explodes after the lockdown period generalized in 2020. Democratized thanks to TikTok videos, it mainly affects people under 30. The evolution of working methods, with teleworking among others, has greatly encouraged the development of this trend.
Recent inflation, post-pandemic reorganization, and staff shortages have exacerbated the silent resignation. Today, many businesses no longer respond the needs of employees in terms of training, remuneration orcareer development.
Understanding quiet quitting
To put it simply, quiet resignation at work is not a resignation per se. The employee will keep his post and come to work every day, but will choose to perform the bare minimum, without going overboard.
Concretely, this consists in applying only what is written in your employment contract. Employees in “silent resignation” refuse, for example, any additional missions, respect the schedules to the minute, do not respond to their emails outside of working hours, and do not help their colleagues with ancillary tasks.
The key words of quiet quitting
“Work up to your salary”, “prioritize your personal life”, “no longer live for your work” are all guiding principles of Quiet Quitting. Again, this state of mind developed strongly after the Covid-19 pandemic. Employees have seen their professional and personal lives mix, and the A question of meaning and balance between these two worlds has become essential.
Adrien Scemama, manager of Talent.com, which distributes nearly 4 million job offers every month, explains it very well To the 20 Minutes newspaper :”Quiet quitting enthusiasts are employees who refuse to let their work be at the center of their concerns. They then decided not to resign, but to slow down the pace to preserve their mental health.”.
How to practice quiet quitting
We will have understood it: the Quiet Quittingis doing the bare minimum at work. But what are the key behaviors that will allow you to recognize an employee who is resigning silently?
The Quiet Quitting engenders a global disengagement from the problems and challenges of the company. The employee no longer feels concerned, and no longer wants to go above and beyond to meet the expectations of his manager.
This results in the refusal:
- Overtime
- the assignment of responsibilities that are not part of its responsibilities
- solicitations outside of working hours included in their employment contract
- requests for help from a colleague or employer
In short, your employee sticks to the strict minimum, and does not go beyond the conditions set out in his employment contract.
What are the causes of silent resignation at work?
The causes of quiet quitting
The Quiet Quitting in your business can be the result of several factors such as the low level of commitment, the lack of cohesion in your teams or the loss of meaning.
The drop in commitment to your business may be due to the lack of integration of your employees in general strategic thinking of the company. Your teams do not necessarily understand your choices, and are disinterested in the company's mission.
Poor cohesion within your teams can also be the cause of the quiet leaving of some employees. It heightens the feeling of isolation, and remote work can also hinder the feeling of connection collaborators among themselves.
Finally, we are talking more and more about the “search for meaning” at work. Employees, especially the youngest, want to be really useful at work. They want to work for companies that have a specific purpose and that correspond to their values. To do this, they often choose companies linked to social or environmental causes or that participate in solidarity events.
Other influencing factors
Other factors may be in favor of quiet quitting. Employees who prefer to resign silently generally feel significant fatigue and real tiredness in response to the tasks assigned to him. This quiet quitting can also be a way to maintain your mental health and avoid the infamous “burn-out”. It is therefore also a means of defense and a signal that companies should not take lightly.
What is the risk of an employee doing the minimum at work?
Even if the employee who practices Quiet Quitting is immune to formal sanctions, since he respects the conditions of his employment contract; certain consequences should not be overlooked.
First of all, it will be difficult to obtain recommendations from an employer who will not be able (or will not want) to testify in favor of the employee.
An attitude”Quiet Quitting” can also create a bad reputation and slow down the employee's progress internally or in other companies.
And above all, this practice is in fact the beginning of a vicious circle from which we must quickly get rid of! By producing only the bare minimum, you lose your motivation and the meaning of your work, so you no longer want to surpass yourself, you lose your motivation even more... It is therefore a false solution!
How to fight against quiet quitting in business
To avoid this type of practice within your business, you can put in place several “preventive” measures that will ensure the full development of your teams at work.
Active listening
During your annual meetings, or informal exchanges, listen actively to your teams. It's not just about collecting their feedback, but also about Suggest solutions so that they feel better about their work, and that they find real meaning.
For example, you can set up a system of “tickets” in which your employees could express themselves freely (or even anonymously) on the elements to be improved in your company.
Importance of the “employee experience”
To strengthen the sense of belonging and the cohesion of your teams, be sure to offer a memorable employee experience. Onboarding, sponsorship system, business seminar, afterwork...
These events will create real relationships in your teams and help your employees feel good at work.
Flexibility at work
Today and more than ever, flexibility, teleworking and autonomy are at the heart of the concerns of the young generation. 70% of young people admit to being ready to leave their job if their manager requires a presence 5 days out of 5 on company premises. It is therefore absolutely necessary to make your working conditions more flexible and keeping up with the new expectations of Generation Z.
The Quiet Quitting is not a phenomenon to be taken lightly. Silent resignation at work affects a large number of employees, especially the youngest. The consequences for your business are numerous: lack of cohesion, reduced motivation and commitment...
And it is difficult to apply sanctions, as employees are finally in the right to do so. To prevent this type of attitude, listen to your employees, offer prospects for change and training, and be as flexible as possible.
