You may or may not be aware of the new buzz term “quiet quitting”. This concept took off earlier this year when #quietquitting started trending on social media (particularly TikTok) as more and more people started venting very publicly about how dissatisfied they were with their workplace culture.
In our opinion “quiet quitting” is an evolvement that needs to be taken seriously, particularly for a small business, and our article explores a few reasons why.
So, what is "quiet quitting"?
“Quiet quitting” became such a phenomenon this year, that the Collins English Dictionary named it Word of the Year, and they define it as
2. the practice of doing little or no work while being present at one’s place of employment
There’s been a lot of commentary in recent months about “quiet quitting” and how workplaces, management and HR teams can do more to combat employee disillusionment and lack of motivation. In this article, however, we’ll be exploring the alternative viewpoint - the negative impact that “quiet quitting” can potentially have on a small business.
What are the potential issues that a small business could face if its employees decided to “quiet quit”?
1 - A negative impact on business operations - as little or no work gets done and the quality of the work that does get done declines.
When employees are disengaged from their work, it can have a devastating impact on business operations. Firstly, little or no work may get done, resulting in missed deadlines, project delays, and lost opportunities. Secondly, the quality of the work that does get done can suffer significantly when employees are not invested in their tasks. This can lead to mistakes, errors, and costly rework, all of which can negatively affect the bottom line.
2. A negative effect on income and profitability as less work is done servicing customers.
Disengaged employees may lack the motivation to go the extra mile or provide excellent customer service, which in turn can have a negative impact on the company's reputation and customer experience. A mediocre service provided or an unsatisfactory customer experience can damage the company's reputation, as customers are likely to share their negative experiences with others and take their business elsewhere.
3. A negative impact on other staff members - those employees who are engaged motivated and want the company to do well.
Quiet quitting can also be damaging to team morale, as the other employees are left picking up the workload, feeling confused and unsupported. This can lead to feelings of resentment and a decrease in productivity from those staff members who are otherwise effective. In short, it's a recipe for lousy team dynamics.
Each of these factors leads to financial losses for a small business.
If your small business doesn’t have internal HR support and would like flexible expert advice, consider our HR Consultancy Services. We can offer advice, guidance, and support on a wide range of topics, from employee relations, and recruitment, to health and wellbeing. We understand the unique challenges that small businesses face and are here to help.
Book a free discovery call today and let’s discuss your unique business needs and requirements.
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