Secret time: I’m a quiet quitter and I didn’t even know it! Mind blown. But more on that later.

First it was The Great Resignation, and now it’s Quiet Quitting. Some less accepting critics will complain about this recent phenomenon, calling employees who participate, “lazy”. But, as a leader and business owner who has been evolving with the times, I applaud and support the Quiet Quitters. Mostly.

If you haven’t yet heard this term, “Quiet Quitting” occurs when an employee doesn’t quit the job, but discontinues going above and beyond, completing only the basic tasks or jobs, and detaching from the organization they work for. 

The Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting points to a glaring flaw in our society. The expectation that we are going to be so completely invested in our livelihoods out of fear of losing our jobs (and paychecks) – giving of our life, body, and soul, is unrealistic and unsustainable. Mental, physical, and relationship health ultimately suffer, and then people wonder why.

When I sold my second company, it was to a Fortune 500. I remember when I walked into the New York City office on my first day and sat down at my new little desk, I was bum rushed with a litany of expectations. I was told I had to bill x amount of hours per week, I was expected to do whatever it takes to produce, and people work a minimum of 12 hours a day. When I asked if I could sit with the rest of my team. My boss said, “Oh no, Mike. You’re not at that level yet.” Wait did he say my name? He may not have known it. Yeah, probably not.

But I sat there. I dredged away at that job. I went above and beyond because hey, if you weren’t a nervous, sweating wreck, would anyone even think you were trying? 

This is exactly the culture that encourages and invites quiet quitting. Of course employers set out the expectation that they want A players who will do whatever it takes and are working machines. Produce, produce, produce! That whole old school, “Wolf of Wall Street” mentality. It may produce revenue, but not for the long term. Why? Because no one can survive it. 

Looking back, that NYC job was a turning point for me. When I went back to owning my own businesses, I knew that the culture I modeled needed to be one that recognized that my employees are not machines. They are humans. And so am I.

Now, post pandemic shutdowns have left employees reimagining their lives and how they’ve been living, leaving many with the realization that there is significant discontent, and that their work/life balance is in dire need of improvement. Once some employees had a moment to catch their breath, they realized they had physical, mental, and relationship issues that had been long on the back burner because, you know. Work. 

All this to ask you: Would society as a whole be better if starting right now, we all lead the workforce that puts humans first? 

Today’s strongest leaders are doing exactly that. Leading humans, like humans.

Here’s how I see it:

The causes: 

Pardon some obvious statements. You already know that the economy is unstable and unpredictable. You know it’s making you nervous. Now, consider how your employees feel. They likely worry that their livelihoods are at stake, and they worry if they’re adding enough value to your business to stay employed. If you’re leading your company only looking at numbers, they’re going to dwindle.

• Show me the money (and respect my needs): The objective for a business owner is their bottom line. Money. The objective for an employee is their own bottom line. Also money. Ok and job satisfaction would be nice too. The issue is that there are a lot of employees out there who don’t feel their needs and bottom line are being met. The result, employees who feel undervalued – and have one foot out the door.
• An awakening: The pandemic has illuminated what really matters to people. Employees now recognize how untenable and unhealthy the normalization of companies expecting more and more from employees without acknowledging the infringement of their personal lives and boundaries (beyond just the compensation factor) really is.
• Generational conditioning. Now. Traditionally, corporations have instilled a culture of “work hard, play harder”. We all know that model benefits the company’s bottom line, because the first part of that saying is most effectively executed. The newer generation coming into the workforce was raised to pay attention to their mental health and well being, and to put them first. It’s not that they lack work ethic, or don’t want to work. They have self worth. They realize that they, as people, matter first. It’s a relief, frankly. In The End, we’re not more important or glamorous than anyone else by constantly grinding away. Also, how ineffective can you get?
• Constant availability: Never in the history of history has constant availability been more prevalent. What’s changed in the workforce over the last few decades is the sheer expectation of constant employee availability. Technology, for all of its splendor, has also failed our humanity. The expectation is we can all be found, all be available, all accept input, all the time. It’s basically demolished our work/personal time boundaries. Over the years, growing technical advances have only exacerbated the expectation that 1., an employee is always available (aka always working), and, 2., an employee never, ever, detaches from work like they used to in prior decades. 
• Our need to constantly answer work is a trauma response. We’re conditioned to be entrenched in anxiety over what we’re potentially missing and not doing. No matter how much people love what they do – That email late Friday afternoon? That Slack on a Saturday morning? Texts at any time? While the gift of technological platforms makes it easier than ever to communicate, there’s such a thing as, now say it with me, boundaries. I know there are times you want to leave your thoughts with the employee who’s going to execute a related task, but sometimes your notification pops up for them in the middle of personal time we all desperately need, and it makes it impossible to detach from work. There may be cycles in your business when you need all hands on deck, but it shouldn’t be constant. If it is, that may be, you know, a you thing to assess.
• Leadership: If you’re doing the above, you may want to back off before you have a team of quiet quitters. When leaders don’t respect employees’ lives holistically, their teams won’t feel any dedication whatsoever. Employees are not replaceable. They’re running your business. 
• Poor communication: Just because tech allows you to communicate non-stop, it doesn’t mean you should, or that your communication is good. Leaders need to discuss expectations upfront, and clearly explain repercussions of those not being met. Particularly in a hybrid work environment, employees can become insecure and wonder if they are meeting expectations, often overdoing it. 
• Remote/hybrid work model: For industries that have this model, it’s a double edged sword. The assumption that working remotely is a cakewalk has proven to be wrong. While it may be convenient to stroll over to a workspace at home, being home also translates to work is in your home. Your laptop or desktop is always there. So now, you’re even more available than ever. Great! The boundaries between work and personal life become blurred even more.

The effect: 

Employees are set up to fail, not leverage and thrive in your business. All of the shortcomings and misguided “professional” traditions build up to employees feeling powerless, and as though they are failing their boss and teams. It first manifests as stress, and then resentment. Toward you, the leader, and your company. “Quiet quitting” becomes the only means for reclaiming control over their time. 

Employees who are unhappy and second guessing themselves, their value in the world, and their careers are going to disengage with your business. (Read: Hurt your bottom line.)

The (very, very positive) solution: 

You want to retain your talent? One of the beautiful things about being a small business owner is that you have the advantage – you can make the rules. You can foster your dream culture in your business. One where your needs, and your employees’ needs are met. We as leaders must model the healthy, humane behavior we want our employees to emulate. So whatever you want to see, you need to walk that walk. 

You can create true work/life balance in your company. Not that lip service type in larger corporations either. You know, the ones with a gym and cafe on campus so you never leave? (Pretty sure that’s called being a hostage, no?)

You can promote and inspire and instill a great work ethic – and be more efficient in less time. 

How? Lead like a human.

With all this tech, it ends up that true company development is up to humans. Our company prez, Kelsey, said, “I think this is a great opportunity for companies to shift their approach to recognizing the whole human and create a company that is much more mutually fulfilling. It’s also an opportunity for leadership to proactively communicate what their expectations are, and if there are repercussions for not meeting them.” Sounds dreamy, right? It’s doable. 

• Cut back on hours. There was a study in the UK that identified that we only have so much brain power before decision fatigue kicks in. Much of my team is off on Fridays, and we have quite a few part timers. Because of the systems we have in place (thanks, Clockwork!), we work less time, but produce more than ever. 
• Boundaries, boundaries. Once controlled by employers, employees are now taking the reins and designing a life that serves them both professionally and personally – with their mental and physical wellness revered above all. How dare they? While some think setting more work boundaries equates to people not wanting to give their jobs their all, it’s really by my account going to be the most productive generator of work. Because happy employees have increased loyalty and dedication, which equals a stronger, more efficient, and therefore more profitable, business. 
• This means a shift in expectations needs to be communicated. Tech is great, but it creates the expectation that you are always available, anytime, anywhere. People need to be able to “turn off”, and have that respected. Management should reassess what expectations are mandatory and what is stressful that can be done away with. Then, those need to be communicated clearly to the rest of the business. 
• Support wellness at the forefront. If you do not have your physical and mental health in check, you can’t function at your best. If your relationship is hurting, your emotional wellness is at risk. Make sure that you give your employees the time they need to take care of themselves and their loved ones without feeling they are at risk of losing security in their jobs. One way to do this is by holding quarterly meetings about the goals of the business, and about personal goals. Then you can align your business to satisfy the needs of employees and vice versa. And everything is out in the open, which is wonderfully empowering.

Kelsey has been walking this (above) walk in how she manages our employees. I mean one hundred and a million percent. Communication is key, otherwise the lines between work and outside life are going to become confusing, and in the end no one will be happy.  And while some business owners may find this to be a soft approach, adhering to “a whole human” approach in our office has created:

• Loyalty
• Employee retainment
• Efficiency
• Confidence
• Reciprocity
• Engagement
• Motivation
• Respect
• Safety
• Autonomy 
• Value
• Sustained profitability (last but not least)

And the unwavering desire to serve each other and our community. Good stuff.

As you move through this time of upgrading and humanizing your leadership, remember these few tips:

• A smart leader sets up an environment where employees thrive. This isn’t about being “nice”, but about created strategies for the holistic fulfillment of your business. This included less pushing on your employees and stressing them out, but inviting them to fully express themselves in a way that makes them comfortable and happy – and finding how that best fits in to their jobs.
• It’s not about the number of hours you work. It’s about the output. And output isn’t just about delivering on deadlines or producing revenue, but the quality of engagement with the people you are serving in the process. 
• It’s also about how your clients are being served, not just about what you’re doing in your dailies. What is the impact you’re having on the people around you – your team, vendors, and customers? You want to leave everyone feeling glad they interacted with you.

I invite you to set up an environment around you that embraces your colleagues. One that they can’t wait to come to work because they are being served. Design your business so there is reciprocity, trust, and loyalty – that’s where the best culture, and profit, live.

Have you looked at how you’re working? I’m glad I did. 

-Mike