Prevent Employees From Quiet Quitting With These 6 Proven Steps

Recent news in the employment world has some business leaders wondering if their employees are “quiet quitting” and, if so, how to stop them. If you’ve identified that one or more employees are quiet quitting and it’s negatively impacting your business, it’s time to take action.
 
Common ways to prevent employees from quiet quitting include holding regular 1-on-1 discussions, eliciting company-wide feedback and focusing on workplace culture. If the impact of quiet quitting is severe or the effect is widespread, leaders should implement solutions on a global scale throughout the business.
 
Below are specific steps you can take to prevent quiet quitting within your organization.
 

1. Offer or Revamp Employee Engagement Opportunities

 
Since quiet quitting is characterized by a lack of engagement, beginning with employee engagement efforts is a great starting point. The way employees engage with one another and the company can vary drastically from company to company.
 
If your organization is made up of all on-site employees, you should be working to host some in-person events.

In-person engagement ideas include:
 

• Team/company-wide lunches
• Family events
• Friendly party games or competitions
• Peer recognition space

Having a company comprised primarily of remote employees or a combination of on-site and remote employees can present some challenges.

Remote employee engagement activities can include:
 

• Digital coffee break
• Show and tell
• Virtual games
• Team movies

 
What’s important is that you provide a variety of choices when it comes to employee engagement. Some activities will appeal to certain employees, while others won’t. Offering multiple options ensures employees will likely have at least one activity they want to participate in.
   

2. Hold Routine 1-on-1 Meetings

 
Providing direct, 1-on-1 communication time to employees can be extremely impactful. A 1-on-1 meeting can help employees feel heard and valued since all the attention is focused solely on them during that time.
 
These meetings can also help leaders connect on a deeper level with employees when compared to conversing in a group setting.
 
The frequency and length of 1-on-1s should be based on several factors, including the size of your team and workload demands. Once you’ve established the schedule, it’s important to adhere to a few key principles.
 
For 1-on-1 meetings to be effective, you need to:
 

• Stick to the schedule – If you’re frequently late to the meetings or reschedule or cancel them, your employees will quickly assume that you don’t see them as important.
• Let your employees do the bulk of the talking – A primary purpose of 1-on-1s is to make sure your workers feel heard. They’ll quickly lose interest in participating if you spend the majority of the time talking.
• Focus on their needs and challenges – Similar to feeling heard, employees want to know that you’re there to support them.  
• Follow-up in response to their needs – This may be the hardest, yet most crucial detail. If you don’t follow through and address their challenges and needs, the 1-on-1 meetings will quickly lose their value.

 
Following the above tips for conducting 1-on-1s will ensure their intended positive impact.
 

3. Reward and Recognize Your Employees

 
Employee recognition is a critical aspect of workforce retention and, therefore, has a direct impact on reducing quiet quitting. Being recognized and rewarded is a top want for many employees. Workers who don’t receive the desired recognition can become disengaged and less productive.
 
Knowing the right way to provide recognition and rewards to your employees can be tricky. Some people are fine with being recognized for outstanding job performance in a team setting in front of their colleagues. Others would prefer a private 1-on-1 acknowledgment. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to employee recognition.
 
As a leader, you need to communicate with your team to understand how your employees would like to be recognized and rewarded. This conversation will uncover some broad recognition strategies you can utilize, and individual adjustments you may need to consider for specific employees.

Part of rewarding and recognizing your employees should include the use of a performance management system. For more information, check our article on how a PMS can reduce talent attrition and quiet quitting.
 

4. Conduct Regular Employee Feedback Surveys (And Act on the Data)

 
While some general best practices should be followed to reduce quiet quitting, every company’s employees are different. To truly understand your employees’ unique wants and needs, it’s best to elicit their feedback through a targeted survey. The survey should address specific topics related to workplace happiness and fulfillment.
 
Survey questions can include:
 

• Job fulfillment on a rating scale of 1 to 5
• What makes you feel fulfilled at work?
• Choose which employee engagement activities you would like to participate in (provide a field for employees to enter their own as well)
• How do you prefer to be recognized when you meet or exceed your expected job performance?

 
Most importantly, when it comes to the survey, have a plan to review and act on the data you collect. Your employees will quickly recognize – and talk to one another – if they realize that no action is being taken regarding the survey results. Failing to take the appropriate action and make necessary adjustments after the survey can have the opposite effect and cause more employees to disengage.
   

5. Partner With a PEO to Give Your HR Team Time to Enhance the Company Culture

 
Depending on the structure of your HR staff, administrative tasks can take up a large portion of your team’s time. In the long run, this can hurt the overall culture within your organization.
 
A professional employer organization (PEO) is an extension of your HR team by managing many time-consuming administrative tasks.
 
These tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Timekeeping and payroll
• Employment law compliance
• Benefits administration
• Workers’ compensation & risk management

 
By allowing a PEO to free up this time, your HR team is able to focus more of its energy on managing and improving the company culture.
 
A 2022 survey by Flexjobs found that toxic company culture was the #1 reason employees chose to leave a company. This data shows how important it is to give your HR team ample time to focus on company culture.
 
Not familiar with what a PEO is? Check out our helpful guide, What is a PEO?
 

6. Hire an HR Consultant to Analyze Your Company and Identify Critical Gaps

 
In an ideal situation, company leaders can solve their quiet quitting issues using internal resources and time. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible, and outside help is needed.
 
Thankfully, many HR consultants have specific experience and expertise regarding employee engagement. If you’re unsure if hiring an external consultant would be wise, there are some situations where it makes logical sense.
 
Scenarios where hiring an HR consultant is recommended include:

1. Not sure what issues are causing a lack of employee engagement and/or how to solve them
2. Past attempts to resolve and prevent quiet quitting have been unsuccessful
3. You’re aware of the potential issues but don’t have the resources or time to solve them

 
If you decide to hire an HR consultant, ensure you’re open and receptive to the ideas they bring. Chances are, they may have strategies or methods that differ from what you’re accustomed to. It’s essential to recognize their experience and expertise and be willing to implement their recommendations.
 

Work With LandrumHR to Free Up Your Time and Focus on Your Employees

 
Maintaining positive employee engagement is critical to preventing quiet quitting. One of the best ways to ensure this gets done is to partner with an experienced and reliable PEO like LandrumHR.
 
Since 1970, we’ve made the business of people easier for our clients by managing the time-consuming tasks that take you and your HR staff away from your company. From payroll processing to employee benefits and more, we handle the heavy lifting for you. Our PEO services are customizable to meet your business’s specific needs.
 
Have questions? We’re here to answer them. Contact our team to learn about how LandrumHR can support your business and help you prevent quiet quitting in your organization.