By now, you are probably very familiar with the term “quiet quitting” which summarizes the new trend of simply doing the job you were paid to do, nothing more, but sometimes less.
Employees are drawing lines in the sand in an attempt to attain better work-life balance. So, while not all “quiet quitters” are on their way out, it is important to recognize that some of these shared symptoms can point to a disengaged employee.
Disengaged employees negatively impact a business’s bottom line. What’s more, according to Harvard Business Review, if employees would give a bit of extra effort, the impact on the company would be noticeable.
If you think morale may be low on your team, keep reading to the end where we share five low-cost solutions you can implement to re-engage your team and increase their enthusiasm and productivity.
First, let’s explore some common causes of employee disengagement:
- Lack of purpose and connection to the company’s overall vision or mission
- Minimal feedback and growth opportunities
- Feeling unsupported, undervalued or isolated
- Lack of trust in leadership
- Excessive workload leading to burnout and stress
Next, here are some of the warning signs your employees may be disengaging:
- Negative attitude, apathy or cynicism
- Lack of response or slow to respond
- Withdrawal from the team
- Decrease in productivity or initiative (also a symptom of “quiet quitting”)
- Frequent absences
If you notice some of these signs, consider these five tactics to reignite their interest and motivate them to re-engage.
- Conduct an Employee Pulse Survey
Surveys are a great way to anonymously measure engagement and get an overall sense of team morale. It can be done informally and can be short and to the point. Mixing in some open-ended questions will give your workers the opportunity to provide valuable insights into the employee experience.
- Keep Your Door Open
62% of direct reports were willing to go the extra mile for an effective manager. Keep your door open and foster a culture of trust. If virtual, continue to remind your team you are available at any time. If your employees feel like they can come to you with complaints or concerns, they most likely will. Go out of your way to let your direct reports know that you care about their wellbeing and are dedicated to making change.
- Make Sure Goals are Clear and Align
An organization and their employees need to be on the same page and working together towards common goals. Set attainable individual and company wide goals that motivate peak performance. S.M.A.R.T goals, coined by George Doran, suggest that goals should be Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-bound.
- Provide Continuous Feedback & Development Opportunities
Annual reviews are insufficient and ineffective. Today’s worker is looking for continual feedback to optimize their ongoing performance. In fact, according to one report, a lack of career development was among the top reasons an employee would decide to leave their job. Keep your employees engaged with professional development and training programs that can prepare them for career advancement.
- Right-size the Workload
“Quiet quitters” are doing the minimum because they are tired of feeling stressed and burned out. And, as much as we’d like to leave work at the office, feelings of exhaustion and worry inevitably spill over into personal time. If your employees are feeling overworked and overwhelmed, it may be time to re-assess the workload or add to the team.
Finally, it’s possible you find yourself with an employee too far detached from their job. If that’s the case, it may be time to part ways and learn what could have been done differently.
Looking to re-engage your workforce? Contact us today to see why 89% of TONE members say that TONE positively impacts their professional and personal development and 50% are more likely to stay with their current employer.