An Old Problem with a New Name

The age-old problem of disengaged employee is suddenly being discussed everywhere.
 
𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴, 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸: “𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨”.
 
Which is where people are not actually quitting their jobs, but rather the idea of going above and beyond.
 
Essentially, of doing nothing beyond just their duties.
 
Of course, it’s important to ask why it may be happening, and whether employee engagement and a great culture are a priority for the organization:
 
If so, and they're not willing to change, these employees have to go.
 
If not, why should they care, and give any more than they absolutely have to, if an organization is allowing it?
 
Because people’s priorities have shifted since COVID, and the days of living to work are gone.
 
Yet, employees will still go above and beyond, but only for leaders who care, and who have created great cultures.
 
But, if the necessary practices are not in place, they will be disengaged, or, even worse, 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙮 disengaged.
 
Which is when an employee negatively impacts morale, and creates a toxic culture, by vocalizing any and all levels of discontent.
 
At which point disengagement spreads like a contagion and undermines the culture.
 
Whether disengaged or actively disengaged, it’s critical that managers take action.
 
𝙎𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚𝙨.
 
And if nothing happens, every other employee is watching, and wondering why no action is being taken.
 
Probably getting ready to quit for real.
 
Because there is nothing more demoralizing for an organization’s top performers than to see its low performers not be held accountable.
 
Bottom line, it’s important not to get caught-up in the faddish term and remember that “quiet quitting” is simply disengagement.
 
And it needs to be dealt with before it negatively impacts the culture.