If you have never heard of the term “quiet quitting”, it is a term that is widely used from 2022 to the past few months in early 2023 in which employees do the bare minimum jobs while having ideas to quit to look for jobs with better pay. Now, the trend is vanishing and “loud quitting” replaces the old trend.Quitting often comes to mind when employees face too much pressure and stress from their work, be it from the workload or the environment of the workplace. It has been reported by Gallup that the employees are still at a high level of stress, even after the pandemic.
When an employee starts to feel burned out and actively thinks about finding a better job, they become disengaged from their work. It was found that nearly 1 out of 5 employees all around the world are “actively disengaged” or loudly quitting, based on the State of the Global Workplace: Global Insights report by Gallup. The result shows that only 23% of employees are engaged, while the other 77% are not engaged, which includes both quiet quitting and loud quitting.
Employees who are doing well and thriving at the workplace feel more meaningful and connected to the team and the whole organization. For the quiet quitting employees, they are found to be minimally productive and are more likely to feel stressed and burned out. They could not wait to go back home and recharge themselves due to feeling disconnected from their employer. However, for these types of employees, if they can be spotted early, it can be combated. This probably would not be the case for loud quitters since they have already made up their mind and are determined to quit. Nevertheless, it is still possible if the employer and employee have a proper discussion about this issue. Since it is easier to spot loud quitters, employers can right away tackle this issue.
Here are the signs of loud quitters compared to quiet quitters:
Quiet Quitters
They might look calm and collected on the outside, but if you look at them closely, they are not. Their actions could be more passive and less obvious compared to those of the loud quitters. This is because they are still weighing whether it might be the right thing for them to leave. There would be little to no drama involved. When employers create a safe space for them to let out what is inside, it may address the issue and they would be able to talk it out about any imbalances that they feel in their work for a better resolution. To spot quiet quitters, they can be seen as:
- Increased number of sick days
- Appearing more distant emotionally
- Is admitted into emergency room (ER)
- Work performance and productivity are declining
- Delayed project completion time
- Struggle to focus on work
- Poor sleep pattern
- Lack of energy
Loud Quitters
These types of employees tend to be more vocal and obvious about their intention to quit. They will exhibit attention-seeking behavior and make an unnecessary public drama or scene to make people around them aware of it. This might have a ripple effect on others, which may influence others to do the same. Immediate action and a proactive approach are needed. This is because it might have a great impact not only on the teams but on the whole organization, especially if the root cause of the problem is a company-wide issue. By acknowledging their issue and giving them suitable solutions, you can prevent the potential for turnover and improve employee retention. Loud quitters can be seen as:
- Often complaining about work openly
- Publicly announce intention to leave
- Refuse to do tasks that deem as unimportant
- Negative postings on social media
- Make exaggerated claims without taking action
It is important to keep in mind that loud quitters are often caused by many underlying issues that are not only coming from external sources but also from internal sources, which means the individual themselves. Behaviors such as a lack of self-discipline, insecurities or a need for attention could contribute to it. Being aware of and understanding the reasons behind these behaviors could help prevent future problems in personal or professional relationships.
