“Quiet interruption,” today’s emerging workplace mindset, describes employees doing the bare minimum at work, reducing their engagement, energy, and productivity at work. The path these workers follow is clear. But the response from the manager, team leader or employer is also critical. THE NEW WORKPLACE TREND — AND THE PITS FOR TODAY’S WORKERS “In the wake of movements like the Great Walkout, the quiet walkout is the latest example of workers changing their attitudes about work and reevaluating what’s important,” Kristi Hummel, chief people officer of Skillsoft, based in Boston. “They’re no longer willing to go above and beyond what’s asked unless there’s a real give-and-take – and that doesn’t just mean pay rises and extra holiday days,” he continued. Some employees “who may have been overextended in the past are returning to performing only the duties they were hired for in an effort to restore balance to their lives,” said one HR executive. (iStock/iStock) Additionally, “Those workers who may have been overextended in the past are returning to performing only the tasks they were hired for in an effort to restore balance to their lives,” he noted. How is this shift in employee engagement and work ethic affecting American businesses and those who run them?
CAREER CHALLENGE: DO YOU REALLY NEED TO GIVE TWO WEEKS’ NOTICE WHEN YOU LEAVE A JOB? HR experts and corporate executives shared with FOX Business how they’re handling this emerging workforce trend — and their reactions to it.

How do managers spot a ‘quiet quitter’?

Hummel says managers and leadership need to know “exactly” how teams are feeling and be on the lookout for signs of quiet resignation — which can include traditionally strong employees choosing to take a back seat on projects. They may also show signs of reduced work performance. “Decreased engagement is also a clear sign of silent smoking cessation,” he noted. Quiet quitters don’t quit. Instead, they drastically reduce their engagement, energy and productivity, affecting the company as a whole. (iStock/iStock) Another telltale sign of silent smoking cessation: an employee’s reduced interest in reviews and work performance. “They may also seem more frustrated than usual and ask fewer questions about how their performance measures up against expectations,” Victoria Elman, general counsel and head of people at Catalant, also in Boston, told FOX Business . They may also “seem less concerned with promotions, raises, development and career progression,” he explained. CAREER CHALLENGE IN 2022: HOW SHOULD YOU DEAL WITH A LAZY CO-OPERATIVE? Other business leaders argue that a policy on the ground for quiet quitters in their company can help this growing issue. Miller says that new hires join a company with the expectation that they will be positive, productive and reliable members of an organization. “Recognizing and addressing silent disruption requires a proactive and careful approach,” Tom Miller, co-founder and CEO of ClearForce, told FOX Business in Vienna. “When employees feel recognized and appreciated for their contributions, they are happier and more productive,” said one CEO. (iStock/iStock) “Disengaged and unhappy workers grow up, they don’t get hired,” he said.
“Implementing and leveraging the use of secure and confidential reporting systems can catch warning signs of behavior, in a compliant manner, of someone who is quietly resigning,” he continued. “Early discovery of resentment and personal struggles is a good tool for building and maintaining a win-win culture,” he also said. Silent disruption can affect both small and large companies. But if silent interruption becomes standard behavior for many employees in any workplace, Catalant’s Elman said it can signal problems both at the company culture and engagement levels. DENVER HOSPITALITY GROUP OFFERS FOUR-DAY WORK WEEK TO ATTRACT GEN Z “Perhaps management expectations are unreasonable, work-life boundaries are routinely ignored, or the environment is becoming toxic,” he said. “In any of these scenarios, the leadership team, HR and managers should monitor whether the disruption is indeed quiet — or whether there are larger systemic issues that need to be addressed,” he stressed.

How is the silent shutdown hurting American businesses?

Silent disruption can affect both small and large companies. When employees don’t feel recognized or celebrated for their work, they often feel apathetic, which can lead to silent resignation, one business leader said. (iStock/iStock) “American businesses are currently experiencing a recession, a hiring freeze and one of the tightest labor markets on record, with workers asking for – and getting – more than ever in terms of compensation, benefits and flexibility” , Patrick Manzo, CEO of Kazoo + WorkTango, an Austin, Texas-based employee experience platform, told FOX Business. Manzo said this new employee-driven trend is forcing businesses to take a deeper look at employee retention and identify strategies to keep employees engaged and fully engaged at work. 5 APPLICATION MISTAKES TO AVOID IN YOUR NEW JOB “From a business perspective, the employees [who are quiet quitters] it can cost the company in many ways, including lost productivity, poor employee morale, damaged company culture and high turnover, all of which are detrimental to a company’s bottom line,” he said.

Should employers try to change the mindset of quiet quitters?

To overcome this shift in employee mindsets, business leaders can focus their efforts on building a strong employee experience and culture that inspires employees to stay with their company, Manzo said. People have to do the job they were hired to do — it’s there for a reason. “That starts with employee recognition,” he shared. “When employees feel recognized and appreciated for their contributions, they are happier, more productive and less likely to look for a new job.” GET THE FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE On the other hand, when workers don’t feel recognized and recognized for their work, they often feel apathetic and disengaged, which can lead to quiet smoking cessation, he said. “To make sure this recognition has the biggest impact on teams, HR and business leaders need to show gratitude to employees in a way that’s public, timely, specific and connected to something specific,” he added. THINKING ABOUT DOING YOUR JOB? MAYBE TRY TO “REINVENT” YOURSELF AT WORK FIRST Of course, much of the blame continues to lie with the workers themselves. HR professionals suggest that people should do the job they were hired to do — it’s there for a reason. And if their performance falls to inappropriate levels, that should be addressed and there should be consequences, they say.