Quiet Quitting: a term that became widely known through social media last year, used in describing workplace behavior where employees do the minimum required to fulfill their main duties and responsibilities. So, employees willing to do only the bare minimum at work are quiet quitters, yes? Not exactly. Let’s not confuse laziness with quiet quitting. The quiet quitter may have once been a high performer, a leader, or a high contributor to the team but has now shifted due to changes (or lack thereof) within the organization. So, are you a lazy employee or have you quietly quit? Let’s look at the characteristics of a quiet quitter and see if you can resonate with any of these:
The Cynic. Cynicism is an attitude characterized by frustration and hopelessness, as well as contempt and distrust of the organization. This employee bad-mouths the organization and other employees. The cynic is irritable and often starts and ends the day grumpy. They complain before the day starts and may be the first ones to leave at the end of the day. They are not willing to help, even when asked, but can be the first to criticize. This behavior impacts peers because the cynic is not typically quiet about their feelings.
Disengaged/Checked Out. Unlike the cynic, you will not hear from the “Checked-out” employee. They no longer volunteer for projects. Unwilling to help others nor will they ask questions if they need help. Their quality of work has diminished. They are withdrawn and no longer engage other employees or attend employee events. This employee is reluctant to be flexible and can lack motivation. While this employee may not connect with others, their lack of motivation can impact the morale of the team. Other team members will stop engaging with this employee and will no longer invite them to team events. Ultimately, causing “the disengaged” to stay in their bubble and become more separated from the team.
The Procrastinator. The procrastinating employee can be a serious hindrance to the team. They prioritize based on what is easy or fun versus what is priority. As a result, this employee can miss deadlines or cause other employees to miss deadlines by waiting until the last minute. The procrastinator can cause dissension within the team. Consequently, the procrastinator will start to display feelings of anxiety, lack of motivation, and low self-esteem.
If you find yourself taking on any one or several of these characteristics when you were once a strong contributor to the team and organization, then you may be quietly quitting. This may be the result of being overworked, micromanaged, false promises, or a lack of communication. Take time to assess your current professional situation as it may be time to make a change. If not looking to change jobs, then you may want to have a conversation with your management and let them know how you are feeling and how they can help with how you are feeling, so that you are not negatively impacted based on your current change in perspective.
The Transform Tuesdays newsletter was created to help professionals navigate the world of corporate America by overcoming the hurdles hindering them from growing to the next level in their careers, including knowing their value, using their voice, and being authentic to themselves.
During her 15 years as a corporate accountant in PE-backed and privately-held organizations, Sherrika Sanders progressed through various roles from Senior Biller to Corporate Controller. She worked to develop consolidated business processes, post-acquisition financial integration, and Fresh Start Accounting upon emergence from Chapter 11, within seven months of initial filing, and successfully managed teams of various sizes within the US, Canada, and Latin America. While her years as an accountant provided much growth, it was during this time that Sherrika learned to be seen and not heard. She was constantly reminded to be proud of being the only one in the room who looked like her (especially with her non-traditional education). Sherrika felt her voice was taken. After years of no work-life balance, taking work vacations based on the company's schedule, and being expected to always be available for the needs of the company, Sherrika decided enough was enough and started the transition to find and use her voice. Sherrika ultimately resigned from her role as Corporate Controller to take a leap of faith and start her own company, Transform the GAAP (Goals Assigned Achieving Purpose), where she specializes in helping professionals understand and overcome obstacles currently hindering them from excelling in their careers. Sherrika's passion is to equip professionals with the skills necessary to thrive in any setting. If you are seeking one-on-one or group coaching, click on the following link for a complimentary consultation to learn how you can work with Sherrika to Transform the GAAP together. Sherrika believes in a judgment-free zone where all are contributors working towards a common goal. Visit https://www.transformthegaap.com/ to learn more.
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