By now most people in leadership roles have heard the phrase quiet quitting but do you know how much it’s costing U-S companies or what you can do about it?  Gallup research states it costs U-S companies about 150 billion dollars annually.  Wholly moly, that’s more than absenteeism.  This is a real issue for leaders.  Today I’ve got some tips to help you recognize it and re-engage employees.

Experts say “B and C” players are the most likely quiet quitters.  You know the type.  Those folks who say they’re always busy yet you never get their finished project.  They’re producing the bare minimum amount of work necessary to fly under the radar.  Working virtually has made it more difficult to recognize quiet quitters.

I recently read a Forbes article that cited Joe Galvin, Chief Research Officer at Vistage Worldwide with the following signs that you’ve got at least one quiet quitter on your team.

• Disengagement on a chronic basis.

• Isolation from other members of the team.

• Withdrawal from any non-necessary conversations, activities or tasks.

• Attends meetings but they don’t speak up or take action.

• Teammates report a sudden increase in their workloads after having to pick up the slack from quiet quitters.

My best advice for identifying quiet quitters is to get out of your office and go walk around to other departments.  Talk to people to see how they’re doing.  Ask them if they’re struggling with anything.  You might be amazed at what they tell you.  I’ve had team members point out quiet quitters to me that I would have never known about if I hadn’t taken the time to show I cared about them without any agenda.  I wasn’t looking for an update on a report or wondering if they were going to meet a deadline.  I just showed up, sat down next to them and asked, “how ya doin?”  Trust me it’s not easy to break away from the 90 million things I’ve got going on and just slow down and show I care to folks who don’t report to me, but it’s some of the best use of 30 minutes to an hour every other week.  For me it’s often a Friday stroll through the building that unveils the best revelations.  

You can’t reengage every quiet quitter, but Forbes shares the below tips that can help you save some.

1. Develop a Communication Strategy

Quiet quitting is often caused by quiet leading. When leaders don't take the time to build authentic relationships with their teams and don't have a communications strategy that shares company values and reminds workers of the "why," employees can lose sight of the big picture. 

2. Be Open and Transparent

Leaders can build relationships and understand the quiet quitter by being open and transparent while encouraging the employee to do the same. This creates a culture of trust where the manager and employee can have an open dialogue to get to the root of the problem.  

3. Schedule Weekly 1:1 Meetings

The most valuable relationship builder (and rebuilder) is the scheduled weekly one-on-one meeting. It is in those meetings that leaders build relationships, learn about their people and identify early shifts that may indicate disengagement or distraction. These 1:1 meetings build the relationships that foster that connection. 

4. Foster Employee Engagement and Growth

Leaders should focus on retaining emotional connections with their employees, especially when employees are working remotely. You must maintain regular, ongoing communication and set the expectation that employees are involved. Engage with them by asking questions and encouraging them to grow as individuals. Often, for these types of employees, feeling valued will lead to providing value. 

5. Have A Constructive Dialogue To Ignite Renewed Motivation

It’s challenging to keep staff regularly engaged, but employers can learn what’s causing a lack of engagement how to reignite it. When employers engage staff through constructive dialogue, feedback and goal setting while also communicating a clear link between performance and pay, employees become more engaged with their work, more trusting of their employer and more motivated. 

6. Express Your Thanks for Employee Contributions

This one’s, my favorite.  According to Fobes, the best thing employers can do is simply thank their people. Institutionalize recognition so employees feel valued and acknowledged by their team. Creating a recognition program invigorates employees in a sustainable way, continuously combating disengagement at its root. 

7. Address Concerns Immediately

These issues can be difficult to recognize. However, if leaders detect problems, the only solution is through open and honest communication. Not all employees will be willing to re-engage, but by speaking with those whose work quality or output may be suffering, leaders can determine the source of the issue, whether it’s fixable and how best to move forward.

8. Foster Two-Way Communication

A break in the two-way communication chain can lead to a lack of understanding. Leaders are not on the frontlines and cannot see everything all the time. Leaders need to first identify some of the factors that are causing their employees' pain points and address the easy problems quickly. Evaluate and discuss solutions through active listening. The solution to every problem will reveal itself if you ask the right people.

9. Monitor or Potential Employee Overload

Leaders should pay close attention to their employees' workloads and priorities to make sure they aren't overloading their people to a point where they stop trying because there's just too much going on. Work-life balance is on everyone's mind these days, so talk about it and accommodate as needed. 

10. Offer Mentorship

Disengaged workers need mentoring. Since the pandemic, younger workers have felt significantly less cared about and have received fewer development opportunities. The importance of camaraderie and mentoring is vital.

If you’ve been in the workforce for over a decade, you know today’s employee engagement challenges seem very different.  That’s why we have to continue to have a growth mindset.  Look for ways to learn new strategies no matter how much or how little experience you have.  

Thanks for taking the time to read this one.  I hope it helps equip you to be an even better leader.