By Heather Nezich, courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASE
Workers are responding to all the buzz about quiet quitting by talking about how organizations are quiet firing. Is quiet quitting a response to quiet firing?
A twitter user recently posted, “A lot of talk about ‘quiet quitting’ but very little talk about ‘quiet firing,’ which is when you don’t give someone a raise in 5 years even though they keep doing everything you ask them to.”
It’s also been described as when employers treat workers badly to the point they will quit, instead of the employer just firing them. Others point to lack of respect from employers, bosses expecting workers to do extra work without being compensated for it, or providing minimal paid time off and minimal sick time.
No matter how you describe it, all this talk about quiet quitting and quiet firing signifies a real problem in the employer-employee relationship. Respect needs to go both ways. If you want your employees to respect you and perform at their best or even above and beyond, be sure you are treating them fairly. Doing so will increase employee engagement and retention and could even help you avoid unionization as ASE often writes about.
Now more than ever, it is so important to consider all of the following:
- Compensation – Are you payrates equitable and within or above market pricing?
- Benefits – Do you offer a comprehensive benefits package that is meeting the needs of your employees?
- Time Off – Are you offering fair and competitive amounts of paid time off?
- Work-Life Balance – Do you promote a healthy work-life balance and lead by example?
- Employee Feedback – Do you ask your employees for feedback and utilize that feedback?
- Social Impact – What is your company doing to create a positive social impact? i.e. offering volunteer time, holding fundraisers for a good cause, recycling, etc.
- Mental Health – Do you provide mental health resources?
- Reward & Recognition – Are you rewarding and recognizing employees for their success – both large and small?
- Training & Development – Are you providing your employees opportunities to improve their skills and enhance their career?
- Managerial Training – Are you providing proper training to your managers and supervisors? They are the direct link to your employees.
Employers of choice pay attention to all of the above. By creating a healthy and thriving work environment, organizations can avoid both quiet quitting and quiet firing.