Written by: Trudy Bateman, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The phrase ‘quiet quitting’ has been gathering momentum in the traditional media and via social media platforms like TikTok for some time now. But what is it, and why do people choose to ‘quietly quit?’
What is quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting is where a person will choose to do the bare minimum to get by in their job. Where they may have previously taken on extra tasks such as organising events or lending their skills to tasks outside of their usual work pattern, now they do just enough to not draw attention to doing less work. People may choose to quietly quit for a variety of reasons. The first and probably most obvious we may identify as a coach, is not feeling engaged or energised by work. According to Gallup’s Global Workplace Report 2022, only 9% of UK workers reported feeling engaged or enthusiastic about their work, ranking 33rd out of 38 European countries. It was a similar picture in the US, Australia and New Zealand, with just 17% reporting feeling engaged in their work.
How can we change quiet quitting?
We know that when employees use their strengths at work, they are 6 times more engaged and happier in their career. Strengths are the things we are naturally good at and enjoy, so it makes sense that when we use them, we increase in confidence and become more engaged in our work. By identifying our Realised and Unrealised Strengths we can find ways to embed their use in our work. For example, if your top strength is Organiser, but you’re having to do lots of unplanned, last-minute tasks then you will likely begin to feel drained. Instead, try relying on your Creativity strength to introduce a more organised approach. When we know what we love to do, it’s a win-win for both the person and the organisation – both get to thrive. Equally, if much of your day is spent relying on your Learned Behaviours and Weaknesses you will begin to fill drained and start to disengage from work.
How can managers prevent quiet quitting in their teams?
If you want to ensure your teams are engaged and happy in their work, pay attention to their strengths and take the opportunity to strength spot where you can. Our Team Profile and Team Manager Profile can be used to reveal the top 2 Realised and Unrealised strengths for each of your team members, as well as identifying practical tips for managing and developing these strengths for greater performance. There’s also lots of useful advice for managing Learned Behaviours and Weaknesses, so you can ensure your team members have the best chance to shine in what they’re good at.
You can find out more about Strengths Profile and how strengths can be used to encourage engagement at work by visiting our website.
Trudy Bateman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Trudy Bateman is an expert in strengths and their applications. As Director of Strengths Profile, Trudy works with coaches, organizations, and universities to help them understand the strengths of their people, so they can develop them – ensuring not just a successful career, but one they love. Having led the team responsible for the implementation of successful product strategy and delivery of strengths-based assessments for over 13 years, Trudy has delivered thousands of strengths solutions through coaching, facilitating, and consulting, including the accreditation of over 3,000 Strengths Profile practitioners. She is a key speaker, author of The Strengths Profile Book, and resident expert in strengths.
