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Communication and relationships in the organization as a "counterpart" to "quiet quitting".
 

TL;DR: If you don't want your employee to "resign quietly" or "with a big resignation", talk to him, ask some questions.

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Recently, the discourse in the corporate world and on social networks has been stormy around the concept of "quiet quitting".

A few words about the quiet quitting:

We adopted the term to Israel from the USA, where the nomenclature is spoken of as part of a "post-covid 19" reality. The covid 19 threw us almost at once into a completely different work reality, and concepts such as work life balance, work from home, hybrid work and more, received a different place in the organizational and inter-organizational discourse. Before it, another term was used in the discourse: "The great resignation" ,in which masses of workers left their workplaces in order to "improve positions". The "quiet quitting" refers to the reality in which employees who cannot or do not want to leave their workplace, remain "on paper" but in practice do the minimum required. As the say: "They came to the workplace, they didn't come to work".

What did it cause?

This term arouses quite a bit of resistance and raised eyebrows. The surrounding bush is turbulent. Does this term belong to young workers only? For low-wage workers or also for high-wage high-tech workers? Quite a few reject the nomenclature and say that it is not a resignation at all and it must not be quiet. This is actually a situation of correcting distortions in the mutual relations of employers and employees. A substitute term is used acting your wage Which in free translation means: "Work according to how much you are paid" meaning you will perform the required tasks as part of the work, without "killing yourself" on the job. In practice this means:

1. To work within the formal working hours, without overtime (which are not paid).

2. During hours outside the work framework, not be available for phones/emails.

3. Schedule meetings during standard working hours and not at late hours (meetings that start at 18:00?).

4. On vacation - disconnect.

5. One employee does the work of one employee and not of 2-3 employees, as it sometimes seems.

 

On the other hand, some say that this is a new way to brand the term "shirks responsibility". A product of a feeling of a "small screw" in the system and a reaction to an employer who is perceived as exploitative and does not see the employee at all.

In any case, there is a lively discussion on the question: is this a healthy trend or not? Is this even a trend or a "rebranding" of an existing phenomenon?

Either way, in my eyes this is a "wake-up call" for organizations. something like:

 If you can't beat them, join them.

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What does it mean?

The world of work is changing. The change as mentioned has terms that change frequently, whether "The great resignation""The quiet quitting"" "acting your wage", "Characteristics of Generation "Z", and more.

An organization that wants to adapt to the changing reality and remain relevant over time must ask itself questions related to the relationship it maintains with its employees. An organization that wants dedicated employees, should ask itself how dedicated the organization is to its employees. An organization that wants employees who care, should ask itself how much the organization cares about the employees. Reciprocity is the name of the game. Always, and now especially.

 

I am an organizational consultant specializing in relationships in the organization. In my opinion, healthy relationships in the organization are a key to success. In the last year I developed the 2talk kits, for managing organizational relationships. The 2talk kits includes many cards that are made up of a variety of questions in different categories, which can be used to conduct significant conversations in the organization, whether one-on-one or in a team. Good questions allow the organization and its managers to really take an interest in the employee.

One of the questions in the kit is:  "What would you do differently in your work-life-balance?"

A manager who will have enough courage and honesty to ask his employees this question, and an organization that will ask itself questions in light of the answers it will receive, will be able to retain its employees and deal well with the risk of resignation, silence or greatness.

In the 2talk kit there are many more good and important questions that it is recommended to bring to the discussion in the organization.

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