Change of job
A lot is being said about quiet quitting, and how it impacts companies' productivity and other coworkers. But not much is being said about how much quit quitters also suffer and what they can do about it.
Quiet quitting is an approach to work in which individuals meet the minimum requirements of their job description but nothing more, no discretionary effort, no going above and beyond. Gallup research shows that there are three categories of employees: Engaged, not engaged, and actively disengaged. In the US, the proportion of engaged workers in the US in 2022 is at 32%, actively disengaged increased to 18%, and the remaining 50% are disengaged. Many quiet quitters fall into the disengaged or actively disengaged categories. They are psychologically unattached to their work and company, meaning that they put in the time but not energy or passion.
When employees are disengaged, they may spend some time looking for other jobs or working on side hustles, but they also report more missed days of work for illness and mental health issues. They are suffering out of not enjoying their day-to-day, and not being able to stay in a state of flow while they work. They could also be burned out. With so many employees changing jobs, the ones staying have to cover up for them, work extra hours and get their promotion plans delayed.
The most common reasons for disengagement are that don’t feel their leaders care about them and don’t feel listened to, respected, or empowered to collaborate. Most of these employees once joined the company willing to make a difference, but eventually found barriers that they couldn’t overcome, and simply stopped trying. Sometimes even perfectionists fall into this category; after trying for a long period to get praise or a promotion, they decide not to fight anymore. In many cases, they end up burned out after overworking for the wrong reasons, with high levels of stress and frustration, and all they want then is to slow down and quit the “rate race”. Sometimes impostor syndrome kicks in, where the employee doesn’t feel empowered enough to change jobs.
If you are one of them, what can you do to avoid becoming a quiet quitter and find more flow in your day-to-day?
- Ask for help. Get a Coach that can help you find out what is preventing you from reaching your highest potential.
- Find out what your ideal role could be, research other job postings, and imagine yourself doing something different. What would that look like?
- Be aware of your likes and dislikes. What kind of tasks do you enjoy the most? What kind of tasks lower your energy? How can you do more of what you like in your current job?
- Speak up. Talk to your manager if you are tired, have new ideas, or want to do something different. Ask for a role change if necessary, or apply to other roles within the company that could better match your expectations. It is ok to set boundaries, discuss it with your manager.
- Be patient. You may as well be looking for the perfect job, which may never show up! It may never show up because you build it with your experience, over time, As you get to know yourself and experience different tasks, you realize what you like, what you dislike, and what kind of leadership you need. You may even be in the right job, but with the wrong leader. Take the time to analyze what is wrong and start changing things little by little.
While being a quiet quitter for some time may seem appealing, in the long term it is simply frustrating and depressing. You are not fully appreciating your uniqueness and strengths. Go look for what you want, don’t be afraid. You are the owner of your career.
