This phenomenon is increasingly recognized and passed through by companies around the world.

Some professionals and experts consider quiet quitting to be the act of not caring about productivity while dismissing the “hustle culture.” Conversely, others believe that quiet quitting is a means of establishing boundaries that lead to improved work-life balance.

Many worked through their new routines and changed priorities after COVID-19. Many also redefined what they hoped to gain from their professions.

BBC reports that in 2021, Chinese people felt pressured to work harder and outperform their peers. This led to a proliferation of the “lying flat” movement, which encouraged taking a break from work.

It’s common in companies that CEOs, leaders, and bosses want and hope that their team will feel connected to work and goals. It is evident that in the current economic climate, committed and motivated professionals are needed more than ever. However, this does not mean that companies and leaders need to expect employees to overwork and run the risk of burnout syndrome, putting work before health, their families, quality of life, and their personal lives.

How can you tell if your employees are thinking of, or quiet quitting?

When a person quits quietly, they tend to show certain key traits, and according to a Forbes article, these include appearing withdrawn and indifferent, not leaving a mess, and not responding when approached. Besides that, it includes:

1.               Disengagement on a chronic basis
2.               Performance only to the minimum set of performance standards
3.               Isolation from other members of the team
4.               Withdrawal from any non-necessary conversations, activities or tasks
5.               Attendance at meetings but not speaking up or taking action
6.               Teammates report a sudden increase in their workload in having to pick up the slack

It’s important to understand that in all cases, employees will inevitably seek opportunities that better suit their lives away from work. At the same time, it’s imperative to welcome new hires into a work environment with an atmosphere that supports and nurtures them. 

For example, at TCA – The Colombian Advantage, we focus on providing our collaborators listening spaces, exclusive benefits and a competitive salary that, although they are not determining factors for the effective retention and maintenance of talent, do manage to motivate our workers, and really make them happy because with this kind of initiatives, they can seek a balance with the other areas of their lives at work.