Getting the Job Done – Quiet Quitter or Steady Worker?                                                                                                                                         

Quiet quitting is a big talking point at the moment, but what is it really?

Understanding what quiet quitting is—and distinguishing it from the output of a steady and reliable worker— could mean the difference between a happy, successful and productive team and one that is functional but lacklustre and just scraping by.

Is There Such a Thing as The Quiet Quitting Phenomena?

Quiet quitting is a term that seems to have appeared around the middle of 2022. It’s a sort of catch all way of describing those employees who have, arguably willingly, disengaged from their role. They perform to the minimum required level, avoid extra responsibilities, and don’t go beyond their job description. They turn up, and do what they are required to do, but they do it without enthusiasm, passion, or initiative. The quiet quitter has not actually resigned, and they may well have no intention of resigning either. The end result is that the quiet quitters remain in their roles but no longer invest emotionally or energetically.

Sounds terrible, doesn’t it? I mean, we all spend a lot of time attracting the very best for our business. Accountants and other financial sector businesses need the best to be the best.

Hold on a second though. Not everyone may want to be a high-powered superstar employee. In fact, I am willing to bet that we all know someone who was happy doing 30 years in the same job, often with the same employer. Are they ‘quiet quitters’? In fact, shouldn’t we be pleased to have these reliable employees?

So, is quiet quitting a lot of fuss over nothing when actually it could be mistakenly used to describe some rather nice, dedicated, employees, who simply want to do their job?

Quiet Quitter or Steady, Reliable Worker?

To get perspective on the quiet quitter we need to be careful to distinguish them from the steady, reliable worker.

In any business, particularly accounting and financial services, the steady worker forms the backbone of operations. Many employees consistently perform their duties to a high standard but are not seeking constant attention or accolades. These employees may not be the ones volunteering for every project, or staying late every night, but they bring immense value by ensuring consistent, high-quality output. They follow procedures meticulously, meet deadlines and offer stability in an environment that can be pressured and sometimes pretty turbulent.

Unlike quiet quitters, these workers are engaged with their roles, take pride in their work, and contribute to the organisation’s long-term success. They may not go beyond the scope of their job unnecessarily, but they are dependable, and they buy into their employer’s objectives.

This is very different to the quiet quitters. They are simply no longer engaged with the business. This disengagement may lead to a decline in work quality, delays, or even errors in work. That is something that can have serious implications in sectors like accountancy and finance, where accuracy is critical.

So, how do you tell them apart? One of these positions is more than required by employers, it is desirable and actually rather difficult to come by. The other is destructive and toxic. There is clearly a very important difference.

Recognising Quiet Quitting in the Workplace

Recognising the signs of quiet quitting means you can deal with it before it negatively affects business performance. Some indicators of the quiet quitter and the steady worker among employees may include the following:

1. Decline in Work Quality: Errors in reports, missed or slipping deadlines, and a general lack of attention to detail can signal that an employee is disengaging. A steady employee may not produce work that is ground breaking, but they will maintain quality.
2. Lack of Initiative: Employees who were once proactive and driven may stop volunteering for projects or avoid taking on new responsibilities. Not wanting to take the initiative though, is a very different thing to losing drive and initiative. Steady workers may well be happy not to be leading the charge, but still highly engaged in the resulting projects or workloads.
3. Reduced Collaboration: Disengaged employees often isolate themselves and stop contributing to team discussions or collaborations, potentially affecting group productivity. An introverted, steady, worker on the other hand may not engage in a meeting or contribute until they have a specifically valuable thing to say.
4. Increased Absenteeism: Frequent absenteeism, tardiness, or leaving work early could be signs that an employee is quietly quitting. For a steady worker, this could signal some other issue, A problem they are dealing with, an illness perhaps or a similar issue that they are trying to resolve.
5. Reluctance to Engage in Development Opportunities: Employees who no longer show interest in learning new skills or participating in professional development might be withdrawing from their roles. The key here is ‘no longer showing interest’. A happy, productive loyal employee, who is content to stay in their current role will also possibly not seem to want to engage in development opportunities… for the simple reason that they don’t want to develop right now.

Stop Quiet Quitting at The Recruitment Stage

It is often the case that a quiet quitter will talk about how the job isn’t what they expected, or the employer values are not what they thought they would be. The employment process is vital to ensuring that the people on your team understand what is expected from day one. Talk to us about your needs early so we can set expectations. There is nothing wrong with an employer wanting a steady hand on the team and there are candidates out there who are happy to be just that.

In the accounting and financial services industries, quiet quitting can subtly yet significantly impact your productivity and then your bottom line. It is essential for companies to distinguish between disengaged employees and those who, while steady and unassuming, are fully committed, reliable, and delivering results. A healthy balance of dependable, steady workers and superstars will help that happen.

It all starts with your recruitment. Call us and let’s talk about how to help create a rounded, balanced, team from the very start by getting the right mix of employees.