Understanding the Quiet Quitting Trend

“Quiet quitting” is an emerging trend where workers only do what their job description entails without going above and beyond. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees shifted their views on their work lives, and this has been reflected in movements such as the Great Reshuffle—a mass movement of workers to jobs that meet their demands for things such as more flexibility and better benefits—the shift to remote work and, now, the quiet quitting trend.

Employees who solely complete their job description and no more could continue to be valuable workers. However, employers can consider steps to engage employees and prevent quiet quitting from happening in the first place. To help eliminate the trend’s presence in their organizations, employers should focus on effective communication and methods to improve employee engagement.

Signs of Quiet Quitting

To improve employee engagement and prevent these issues from turning from quiet quitting into actual quitting, employers need to know what signs to look for. Employers should pay attention to employees who are consistently doing the following:

•           Not attending meetings that are not mandator

•           Not being as productive as they once were

•           Contributing to team projects less

•           Not participating in meetings

•           Displaying a lack of enthusiasm

It is essential to know that there are several reasons an employee may choose to quiet quit. For example, they may simply refuse to do work outside their job description because they feel they are not being compensated for it. While it may not be clear why an employee is choosing to quiet quit, these signs are a good indicator that an employee may be thinking about it or trying to do so.

 

Employer Takeaway

Quiet quitting is the new term for employees doing only what their job requires without exceeding expectations. Employers should be aware of the trend and that it will impact every workplace differently. Employers should monitor for signs that employees may be disengaging and focus on ways to enhance employee communication.

The Impact of Learning and Development in the Workplace

 

The American workforce has dramatically evolved over the past decade, shaped by digitization, job complexity and increasing business competitiveness. As industry trends, protocols and in-demand skills constantly change, employers can remain competitive by prioritizing employee learning and development (L&D) efforts. Such initiatives have increased in popularity and demand to support today’s workers and changing workplaces; in reality, many want to develop their skills and advance their careers simultaneously.

There’s no denying that professional development is more important than ever to job seekers and employees today. Skill sets continue to evolve, and employees often make employment decisions based on growth opportunities. With today’s recent employment trends, L&D is proving to be more critical than before.

 

 

The Importance of L&D

Not surprisingly, many employers are building their case for incorporating or expanding L&D efforts in their organizations. The following are critical factors for embracing and supporting employees on their learning journeys:

 

•Attraction and retention—L&D is an organizational commitment to employee professional development, which can significantly impact the company’s talent strategy. It may be easier to attract and retain employees when they know they’re being supported in their learning journeys and career growth.

•Employee performance and growth—L&D opportunities can help employees become better at their jobs and overcome performance gaps due to a lack of access to knowledge or skills. Remember that training only fills a gap, whereas professional development focuses on long- term employee and company growth.

•Succession planning—Once potential replacements for key positions are identified, training and development can help improve employee skills. Organizations can better prepare for talent shortages and the uncertainty of the future by investing now in employees and their careers.

•Employee engagement—A quality L&D program can allow employers to help support employees on their learning journeys. When employees don’t have development and career advancement opportunities,

they may feel unchallenged or unmotivated in their roles.

• Workplace culture—An authentic learning culture supports a growth mindset, an independent pursuit of knowledge and a collective understanding of organizational missions and goals. Employees want to

learn and apply new skills and are open to sharing that knowledge with others.

• Operational excellence—L&D can help leaders meet operational demands by aligning to overall company business goals and supporting the productivity and performance of employees.                                  Operational excellence is unlocked when employees know and do the right things.

 

However, as with any workplace initiative, L&D efforts are an investment. Many L&D programs have costs, whether they are financial or involve time and resources spent developing and conducting efforts. That’s why organizations need to understand the impact and find the type of programs with the best return on the investment. Ultimately, employers

should consider L&D an investment in both employees and the

organization.

HR departments seem to be given more responsibility each year, often with budgets that don’t match these changes. As a result, HR professionals must constantly innovate and stay on top of trends to remain competitive in today’s unique labor market. This article highlights five HR trends to follow in 2023.

 

 
Increased Wages and Raises
There are more open jobs than people to fill them, and inflation is impacting employees’ pay expectations. That’s the reality of the labor market today, and it’ll continue into 2023. As a result, salary budgets for American employees are projected to increase in 2023. According to Willis Towers Watson’s July report, companies are budgeting an overall average increase of 4.1% for 2023, compared with the average actual 4% increase in 2022. Keep in mind that these are the most significant increases since 2008. Forty-six percent of respondents said the top reason pay budgets are increasing next year is based on employee expectations for higher pay.

Raises are also in the spotlight as many workers change jobs or careers. According to a new ADP report analyzing payroll data, workers who changed jobs got a median raise of 16.1%. Interestingly, according to the same report, that’s nearly double the median change (7.6%) in yearly pay for those who stayed in their jobs. Job hopping has proven to be a way employees can compete with increasing costs amid inflation and be better positioned to afford everyday life. To compete, organizations are finding ways to offer raises to match the pay increases of employees’ counterparts leaving for other, higher-paying opportunities.

Pay Transparency
Today and going into 2023, workers want to know what they’ll be paid before interviewing and that they’re being compensated fairly compared to their colleagues. Workers also want to clearly understand their career development potential, as many are interested in professional growth opportunities. 

Some large states, most recently California, have passed pay transparency requirements. For example, some states require organizations to disclose salary in job postings, but others require it only upon request. Although conditions will vary, many municipalities and states are poised to join the growing nationwide pay transparency movement. As a result, many U.S. employers feel pressured to provide salary information even when they are not legally required to do so. This pressure has been compounded by the increase in companies, such as Indeed.com and Glassdoor Inc., posting pay estimates and data for job postings that can often be inaccurate.

Year-round Benefits Education
Now more than ever, employees seek guidance on navigating their available benefits and how to stretch their dollars further. Employees will likely pay more attention to their benefits in 2023 as they navigate record-high inflation and a potential recession while working to maximize every hard-earned dollar. Many of today’s workers want help understanding how much money to put aside for retirement, emergency savings and health care expenses. That means employers have an opportunity to shine by effectively communicating and guiding employees through benefits selection through onboarding, open enrollment and year-round education.

 
As employees desire more financial guidance during these economic challenges, many employers will consider benefits education a year-round initiative. Employers have an opportunity to continually educate employees about their benefits, which can help avoid information overload during the open enrollment season. Effective employee communication is an ongoing process, but it comes down to helping employees feel well-informed about their benefits options and confident about their choices.

 
Well-being Focus
Between the pandemic, inflation and job duties, more employees feel burnt out. As such, organizations are expected to take more responsibility for workers’ burnout and help employees on a personal level. More employers will be considering how to take a proactive approach to employee well-being and resilience. Benefits, perks and wellness programs will shift to being more holistic to account for mental, physical and financial well-being. To address burnout and other well-being challenges, many employers will offer or expand their employee assistance programs, behavioral health anti-stigma campaigns and training for recognizing employee and peer behavioral health issues. Employers are poised to offer the education and support that today’s workers need and are looking for.

As employers go head-to-head in the competitive race for today’s talent, upskilling or reskilling their current workforce could be a solution to finding workers for their in-demand roles. Upskilling is when employers provide employees the opportunity to learn new skills to better their current work performance while also prepping them for the projected needs of the company. When upskilling employees, employers invest not only in workers but also in the company’s longevity and development. Furthermore, organizations are prioritizing internal mobility more to address skills gaps and strengthen employee retention.

Skills-based Hiring
Regarding skills, employers may also focus their hiring efforts on looking for the right skills rather than experience or education. As labor shortages continue through 2023, employers may explore skills-based hiring to help them compete for talent. While specific qualifications may be valuable for some roles or industries, HR professionals may consider candidates based on desired skills rather than experience or education. With robust learning and development initiatives in place, employers can hire workers who are an excellent cultural fit and then train them on specific skills or tasks later. In today’s worker-friendly market, many employers are having luck with taking a chance on candidates who are eager for a challenge and willing to learn on the job.

Employers can get ahead of the game by monitoring the trends that will impact the workplace and resonate with the current workforce. Many HR functions have evolved during the pandemic era, and there will be ways to elevate and strengthen those strategies to be sustainable and supportive for today’s workers.

 

Contact us for more human resources trends, industry insights and proactive strategies to maintain a competitive edge in today’s workplace.