Now that we’re back in full swing of things, the team has been obsessed with the hot topic of 'Quiet Quitting' as the seemingly "silent", yet outspoken protest against the unreasonable way of juggling work and life balance. We’ve been reflecting recently on how work-life has dramatically changed since the pandemic, making us appreciate each moment in life.
In general conversations with colleagues and other professionals, we discovered that post-pandemic many employees started questioning their jobs, based on how focused they had been for so long on growing and scaling their careers at the cost of their mental health. Silent quitting is becoming more of a joint moment wherein individuals are not ready to accommodate circumstances but would prefer to choose themselves over the organization to safeguard their most important priorities, relationships, and personal mental health.
WHERE IT ALL STARTED
In June 2022, Beyoncé became officially the unofficial spokesperson of the Great Resignation movement. Well, she’s still working, but she sees you and your burnout: At midnight Tuesday morning, she released “Break My Soul,” an ode to house music, and giving HR your two weeks’ notice. (The Cut)
In July 2022, American TikToker @zaidlepplin posted a video about Quiet ‘Quitting’ that went viral and got 3.5 million views, it stated: "Work isn't your life".
WHAT'S IT ABOUT
Although some refer to the 'Quiet Quitting' labour trend as the "Great Resignation Movement", it signifies a societal shift. While some organisations are experiencing staffing shortages, others are laying off employees.
The message of uncertainty is being conveyed to Millennials and Gen Z by addressing the ups and downs, twists, and turns in work and life. Their interpretation is that hard work, effort, and dedication do not always guarantee advancement, a raise, or job security.
There are three crucial areas that companies need to focus on to reduce the impact of quiet quitting and to inculcate the value of retaining employees for a longer time. (Forbes)
A SENSE OF BELONGING
The writer strongly feels that being a part of something is not enough to give one a sense of belonging. It all comes to making employees feel valued, seen, heard, and cherished. Employees often experience the feeling of isolation when they don't feel like they belong in an organization's culture, they may feel alone, disengaged from their work, and detached from the business as a whole. Detachment creates withdrawal, which can damage team morale and eventually have an effect on retention.
By promoting and valuing the diversity of views, elevating listening for understanding, and giving employees the tools of freedom to speak up for themselves and one another, leaders may create or rebuild bridges to a sense of belonging. Team building activities like group yoga classes, retreats, and mindfulness applications create an effect of bringing people together. We strongly recommend taking suggestions from employees for activities for a personalized touch, after all, they know best what would make them feel better.
INCLUSIVITY
People are psychologically comfortable bringing their whole selves to work in an inclusive workplace culture because they know their unique voices and experiences will be acknowledged and valued.
Leading by example and holding themselves and others firmly accountable for acting in ways that respect diversity is the initial step toward developing an inclusive culture.
To create an environment where everyone feels included, a concrete effort is required. Futuristic leaders should focus on executive coaching which enhances the understanding of inclusion, equality, and diversity and brings out a fundamental change in the organizational culture.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
The health and well-being of so many employees have been affected by underappreciation and overburden. More needs to be done to bring attention to these issues.
We interviewed a close friend who mentioned that long-straining working hours led to the end of her marriage due to the unsustainable work-life balance which went on for years. The well-being of employees transcends personal accountability. Organizations must go above and beyond for their employees, offering both resources and flexibility to aid in their development of self-efficacy and resilience. A dire need for change is mandatory as employees are legitimately rejecting to continue giving up their health, happiness, and dignity for the sake of their company.
At SENSATE TALENT we strongly believe in making a difference in the lives of our employees and the employees of our clients. Making the workplace a more interactive and inclusive place.
Our experience manager Sihem shared with us that when she supports clients with recruitment, most candidates ask about the company’s work-life balance. Additionally, she mentioned, that they are ready to have a lower-paying salary with less stress and responsibility, to ensure their mental health.
WHAT ARE WE DOING?
We came up with a great idea to find out what makes each of our teammates happy daily. We ask each employee to write one thing that they are grateful for every day, they don’t have to mention their names.
Once a week during our weekly huddle, we read these gratitude notes which make us feel all fuzzy inside. This is a great way to anonymously find out what employees feel and to practice gratitude. Another idea would be to create a wishing tree in the office and fulfil a few needs to induce optimistic vibes and spread happiness. This doesn’t need to be extravagant or exaggerated, small things like chocolate every week, cookies, team lunches, etc.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO?
Now is the time that organizations need to come up with a change to take charge and accountability to resolve this issue. Morally an emotional resignation is a more disheartening resignation for a company’s employees.
The need to bridge the gap between workplace culture divide is essential.
Take advantage of the opportunity that quiet resignation provides you to reset your organizational culture and re-engage your staff.