How Empathetic Leaders (Not Pathetic Managers) Can Reverse “Quiet Quitting” Using 5 Strategies
No employee joins a company to do “quiet quitting” — however, their situation forces them to.
When I left a company a few years ago, during my exit interview, HR asked me if I had any feedback for my department.
I asked them to do whatever they can to retain Zane (Pseudonym).
Zane was an ideal employee with a positive & “can-do” attitude. Her presence alone would light up any room. She knew how to energize teams and get things done. Zane was an asset to the team.
And she kept on delivering strong performance — year after year.
A couple of months ago, Zane called me for a referral for a role in my current company. She was dissatisfied with her current role. I asked her why. The reasons were —
- She was passed over for promotion
- Her supervisor is a micromanager who even gets angry if she talks with other teams.
- She couldn’t see a future for herself in that company anymore.
Zane is not the only one being mistreated by her company. This happens all the time, all over the world.
And thanks to that, we are seeing the widespread phenomenon of quiet quitting.
What is Quiet Quitting?
Quiet quitting is not about leaving your job.
It’s about doing just enough to stay in the company. You do only what your job requires you to do. You get into a state between being actively engaged and fully disengaged.
This behavior was further aggravated due to the increasing hustle culture and the pandemic-induced work-from-home culture.
I remember working for 14–16 hours a day — often till midnight — during lockdowns. I know how employers started ignoring the boundary between work and personal life.
Also, in recent years, companies (especially startups) seek cancerous growth at the expense of employee wellbeing.
In recent years, employees had the chance to think if what they are doing is worth it. Maybe staying close to family opened their eyes. Or maybe the time they saved by not commuting made them free.
That is when they started the quiet quitting.
Technically There’s Nothing Wrong With Quiet Quitting, However…
There’s nothing wrong if you only do what your job requires you to.
However, most companies don’t have job descriptions that cover all requirements.
Employees are not expected to go through a checklist ( a job description) but take ownership of an area. For example, a brand manager takes care of everything related to the brand.
When employees start “quiet quitting”, the company is bound to slow down. Eventually, the company will have to hire more people and spend large amounts of money to achieve the same level of productivity.
Why don’t they spend that on existing employees instead?
How Leaders Can Stop Quiet Quitting
The purpose of a leader is to hire the right people and keep them motivated.
It’s as simple as that.
Managers, however, end up managing the lives of employees. And they end up managing activities instead of empowering the employees.
Here’s what leaders should do instead.
Team members must know how their work is affecting the big picture
Every employee is giving their time to a company — time that they could have spent doing something they love.
They are doing that because a job gives them financial security, an identity, respect, and a purpose.
Make sure your team members know that their work is creating an impact. If they can find purpose from work, they won’t be pushed to look for it elsewhere.
Treat your team like a human, not a number
Big companies often think about employees as headcounts.
A leader shouldn’t do that.
Treat them like a human by taking care of their pain points and giving them their due. Know that, unlike a machine, they can have an off day.
Be empathetic.
Every effort should be recognized and rewarded
A culture of recognition does wonders.
If your team members know their work is being seen and appreciated, they’d be motivated to keep on putting in the hard work.
When hard work goes unnoticed, what incentive do they have of doing that again?
Change the environment now and then
Go out with your team for a team breakfast, an offsite, or just a regular meeting in a different venue.
Most people crave variety. When you incorporate that into their lives, they’d have another reason to stay engaged.
If you can keep your team happy with a free pizza or a meal, know that you’re lucky! Over time, most employees won’t even bother about a free meal due to health reasons or other demands. So, keep reaping the rewards as long as you can
Lastly but most importantly, listen!
Organize one on ones with your team. Hear them out.
When you know what’s important to them, you will find ways to give them just that. If your colleague seeks training outside of the country, giving a raise won’t motivate them much. Or if a colleague needs a raise, feeding them a pizza may just irritate them.
And then, do your best to improve their situation.
If your team knows they are being taken care of, they will do their best to take care of the work.
Final Thoughts
Quiet quitting is a waste of potential for the employee and a missed opportunity for the company.
Reverse that by being an empathetic leader instead of a pathetic manager.
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