“Quiet quitters” — employees who are simply meeting their job description — make up at least 50 percent of the U.S. workforce, according to a Gallup poll. This trend has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the workplace got worse for young professionals. Between working remotely and limited interaction with colleagues, employees’ motivation and drive waned. Are you among that group?
Reality Check
Most jobs require some level of extra effort to collaborate with coworkers and meet customer needs. Recent studies, however, reveal a drop in employee engagement due to a lack of clear expectations, limited growth opportunities, not feeling valued, and no connection to the overall mission. In short, the gap between employers and employees is growing, leading employees to become disengaged.
Remote Gen Z and young professionals under age 35, seem to be most affected, according to Gallup, which shows a significant decline in employer satisfaction and engagement among that group. They feel uncared for in the workplace with no one supporting their professional development. What’s more alarming, young remote and hybrid employees do not have a clear understanding of what is expected of them at work. Managers must recognize that it's their responsibility to direct, encourage, and support their team — no matter where they are on their career journey.
Reengage Your Team
It's clear that quiet quitting is a symptom of poor management. With only one in three managers engaged at work themselves, senior leadership needs to train managers to win in the new hybrid environment. It’s critical that managers keep lines of communication open to help employees avoid disengagement and burnout. Only managers are in a position to know employees as individuals — their personal issues, strengths, and goals. Managers should schedule weekly one-on-one meetings with each team member. A meaningful 15- to 30-minute conversation will strengthen the relationship while keeping all parties informed, accountable, and feeling valued.
It’s not just individuals’ day-to-day tasks that have led to the disengagement of so many. It’s also workplace culture. Employees who are “quiet quitting” are sending a clear message to their organizations: they need a strong, inclusive culture and comprehensive benefits that address all aspects of wellbeing. Every organization needs a culture in which people are engaged and feel they belong. By understanding employee struggles, supporting work/life balance and nurturing all aspects of wellness, companies can better attract and retain top talent while doing the right thing for their people.
Many professionals who are considering a job change are unsure when to pull the trigger. Career Coach and Strategist Marlo Lyons outlines the benefits and disadvantages of leaving a job before having a new position lined up.
Should you quit your job before you have another lined up?
Today, there is no overall disadvantage to quitting your job before you have a new job lined up. Whether you can quit your job is a more personal consideration.
The Pros
1. Changes focus and energy. One advantage to quitting is giving yourself time to breathe and focus on just the job search versus trying to job search while meeting deadlines and goals of your day job. All the prework and interviewing for a new role can be exhausting, from tweaking your resume with key words, searching for the right roles, applying to numerous jobs a day, contacting someone who can flag your application to make sure it is seen, setting up and spending time in meet and greets with people in the industry or companies you want to work for, and prepping for each interview. Quitting your current job gives you the time you need to make job searching your full-time job and not have to fit interviewing in between your day-to-day meetings.
2. Helps mental health. If you are currently in a toxic environment or work for a bad boss, your mental health may be suffering, and that suffering may show up in your lack of energy or overall demeanor during interviews. You may be able to put on a brave face or “act” your way through an interview, but the heaviness weighing on you may affect your authenticity. Quitting your job gives you an opportunity to breathe and rebuild your energy and confidence for interviewing.
3. Shows courage and confidence. For a long time, it was assumed that It's easier to find a job when you have a job. That is not the case anymore. COVID-19 changed that perception for many employers. Crafting your narrative around the courage it took to quit your job without a job lined up shows you have confidence in your skills and capabilities and your ability to find a more suitable job. You may find hiring managers who are jealous that you were brave enough to do something they may not have the courage to do.
The Cons
1. Lack of financial stability. Without a job you don’t have a paycheck. Consider whether you will be able to financially survive without a paycheck for a period of time. It takes between 60 and 90 days for most companies to make a hire. While that has slightly shortened because the market is so competitive, you will need to be able to last without a paycheck at least four months. Further, in some countries and states, you may not be eligible for government unemployment benefits if you quit your job. Do you have enough savings? How much of your savings are comfortable spending before becoming more financially stressed?
2. Higher medical care costs. How will you cover any medical bills for emergencies and other care between jobs? Consider the cost of signing up for COBRA (in the U.S.) which is more expensive than your company’s health care plan because you are paying the entire premium without your company’s discount or contribution. If you are not planning to sign up for COBRA, how you will cover medical expenses in between roles? Consider how you will manage a medical emergency and do you have savings to cover it.
3. Positioning of your unemployment. There is no shame in being unemployed. However, you will need to be able to authentically explain in a positive light why you are not currently working. If you left a job because of an untenable situation such as a toxic environment, bad boss, or mental health, those explanations may not be heard as positive, even if they are true.
Think about whether you have another perspective on your departure, such as wanting to be deliberate in your next move and you couldn’t wholly focus on the job search working 70 hours a week. Searching for a new job while unemployed isn’t as difficult as it used to be, but having a positive perspective on why you are not currently working will help you move past the scrutiny quicker.
