Over recent years, the phenomenon of quiet quitting has become much more common and noticeable in workplaces. Bringing this term closer, it can be said that more and more employees, instead of clearly communicating their intentions to leave, gradually lose commitment and finally resign from their jobs – write Iwona Sprycha and Anna Włodarczyk from KPMG in Poland.

According to a 2023 Gallup survey, 59 percent resigning from work on a global scale is quiet quitting. For Europe, this indicator is as much as 72%. In times of remote work, this phenomenon is difficult to detect, which makes it particularly dangerous for organizations. Looking at it from a broader perspective, it can be said that the group of employees with low commitment hides huge, untapped potential that affects the pace of economic growth. Gallup estimates that low engagement costs the global economy USD 8.8 trillion, which is as much as 9%. global GDP. Leadership and team management style have a direct impact on workplace engagement, and organizations can do a lot to help their employees develop professionally. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the quiet quitting trend and present key retention strategies that can help companies retain their employees.

The pandemic has caused many changes, not only in the labor market. The shift to a hybrid mode of work, economic uncertainty, concerns about COVID-19 and the imbalance between work and personal life have led to an extremely difficult situation in which people may feel isolated or discouraged from their work. Most employees changing employment during the pandemic faced the challenge of getting to know the new team, supervisor and organizational culture only remotely.

Low interest in work is manifested by a lack of enthusiasm and energy. People who are not very committed are usually withdrawn, do not establish relationships with co-workers, work without enthusiasm and do the bare minimum. With the right tools and a developed strategy, you can more easily identify and manage the phenomenon of quiet quitting. The key is to create a work environment that attracts and retains the most valuable employees. Below we propose key strategies that can help increase talent retention.

• Firstly – Friendly organizational culture. Organizational culture is all the factors and conditions that make employees feel good in a given organization. Open and honest communication, transparency in decision-making and keeping promises build trust and influence the level of employee commitment. Organizational culture should be inclusive and provide space for ideas to be implemented and create a sense of purpose.
• Secondly – Stress management. It is worth assessing whether employees are not overloaded with duties and responsibilities. To prevent burnout and loss of motivation, emphasis should be placed on the quality of team management by managers. Promoting openness and empathy within the organization and giving employees space to express their concerns and needs can also reduce stress levels. To minimize the risk of its occurrence, it is desirable for managers to plan work in a way that is predictable to employees.
• Third – Appreciating achievements. According to a survey conducted by the HRM Institute, employees unanimously expressed the belief that appreciation in the workplace is one of the key attributes of the employer brand. As much as 94 percent respondents indicated that noticing successes by superiors is an extremely important element in assessing the quality of an employer. Appreciation in the company motivates employees to continue working (77 percent of responses), increases their commitment (58 percent), increases self-esteem (48 percent), and makes them feel that their work is noticed (68 percent).
• Fourth – Open communication and feedback. Encouraging the open exchange of ideas and opinions builds a sense of belonging and safety in the team. Employees who have the freedom to express their own opinions and make decisions related to their work often feel more appreciated and engaged. It is also worth ensuring constructive and regular feedback.
• Fifth – Transparent employer branding. An honest, transparent and comprehensive presentation of the position and job characteristics at the recruitment stage may help reduce silent resignations caused by the mismatch of candidates’ ideas and expectations with the realities in the company.
• Sixth – Planned preboarding. It is worth emphasizing here how important a role well-planned preboarding and the first days in a new work environment play in building commitment and belonging to the organization. A good practice is to prepare a detailed implementation plan for each employee in advance and to ensure that the new person feels a sense of belonging to the organization and the team.
• Seventh – Monitoring the work environment. Regular assessment of organizational culture using surveys and employee opinions allows you to monitor progress and adapt the strategy to changing conditions. The key here is regularity and concentration on a narrow number of examined aspects. A timely response to emerging signals may reduce the risk of employee departures. It is also worth monitoring indicators such as turnover and absenteeism.
• ​Eighth – Defining and measuring KPIs for the employee experience cycle. Monitoring KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) in the context of employee experience allows for the assessment of many factors determining employee engagement and satisfaction. Key KPIs include: Employee Satisfaction Rate, Professional Development Index and Employee Engagement Rate.

Source:https://www.prawo.pl/kadry/quiet-quitting-czy-na-pewno-wiemy-jak-mu-przeddzialac,523296.html

Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.